Rosewood History Qld.

Lt. Arthur Edward Noel ADAMS DCM

© Jane Schy 2025

Arthur Adams was the fourth son of Percy Harry Adams and Georgina Caroline née Bradfield. He was born at Rosewood on 30th December 1896. His father was a wheelwright, general smith and auctioneer before becoming overseer and clerk in the Rosewood Shire Council.

Arthur was educated at Rosewood State School. He must have been good at arithmetic and English, considering the path he took. He attended Sunday School at St Luke’s Anglican Church.

In February 1912, when his father was re-elected as overseer and clerk, 15 year old Arthur was appointed assistant clerk. In May he was appointed treasurer of the Chamber of Commerce and he became its secretary in 1913, a position he held for a year until his father left the district.

Percy Adams took a position as clerk in the Redcliffe Shire Council in 1914. Arthur’s application for the clerkship in the Rosewood council, at £104 per annum, was accepted. Arthur became the youngest shire clerk in the State, if not the Commonwealth.

Due to being a member of the Militia (11th Company), he was temporarily absent for compulsory military duties at Lytton in October 1914. Miss Tot (Dorinda Jane) Madden was appointed as acting clerk while he was away. At a meeting of the council in June 1915, Arthur tendered his resignation because he was joining the Australian Expeditionary Force. He asked that his position should be available to him on his return from his military duties and he was assured that it would be. Robert Salton Manthorpe was appointed in his place.

Private Arthur Edward Adams, SN 129, enlisted in A Company, 31st Battalion A.I.F. at Brisbane on 15th July 1915, aged 18 years 6 months. Arthur’s elder brother, William George Adams, enlisted in the navy.

Arthur’s unit embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A62 Wandilla on 9th November 1915, and arrived at the Suez Canal on 6th December. He served in Egypt and the Western Front, where he fought at the disastrous Battle of Fromelles (19th–20th July 1916). By dawn on 20th July, the 31st Battalion had suffered devastating losses. Of the 1,019 soldiers who left Egypt, 77 were killed or died of wounds, 414 were wounded, and 85 were missing. Only 113 answered the roll call on 21st July. Australia suffered the loss of 5,533 men killed, wounded, missing or taken prisoner, in a single night.     Battle of Fromelles  

Part of the German front line after the battle of Fromelles, taken on July 20, 1916.
Picture: Australian War Memorial

On the morning of July 20, 1916, the Germans try to reoccupy their position taken by the AIF’s 31st Battalion during the battle of Fromelles.
Picture: Australian War Memorial

Arthur was wounded in action on 10th December 1916. He was in hospital at Rouen for a month with a gunshot wound to the temple, before returning to the Battalion on 15th January 1917. Subsequently he fought at the Battle of Bapaume. Australian troops reached the outskirts of Bapaume on 17th March and occupied the town, which was in ruins and still smouldering from fires started by the retreating Germans. German forces left a delayed-action mine in the town hall, hoping it would be used as a headquarters. It exploded six days later burying and killing 25 soldiers, and wounding another five.

Soldiers entering the ruins of Bapaume

Soldiers digging in what remained of the town hall after the explosion

Arthur served with great distinction at Bapaume and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for conspicuous bravery. He was recommended for a DCM on 20th September 1917. A notice was published in the London Gazette, Supplement No 30450, on 28th December 1917 – AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL No 129 Company Sergeant Major A. E. ADAMS.

He received his Distinguished Conduct Medal on 1st January 1918. The citation below was published in the London Gazette, Third Supplement, No 30636, on 16th April 1918.

Arthur’s promotions.
Promoted Quartermaster Sergeant: 16th September 1915
Promoted Sergeant: 26th July 1916
Promoted Acting Company Sergeant Major: 24th August 1916
Promoted Company Sergeant Major: 28th October 1916
Promoted 2nd Lieutenant: 18th December 1918
Promoted Lieutenant: 18th March 1919

Arthur returned to Australia on the Port Melbourne, disembarking on 29th August 1919, and he was discharged 15th October. He went to his parents at Redcliffe and tried to get work as a valuator for the Redcliffe Shire Council for £100 per annum, but was unsuccessful. He still had his position as shire clerk waiting for him in the Rosewood council, but could not take it up until 1st January 1920, which he did.

On 30th January 1920, a meeting of returned soldiers was held in the Rosewood Shire Hall. A sub branch of the Returned Soldiers’ League was formed and Arthur was elected as the first president. He was also auditor for the League until 1922 when he left the district. Charles Gunthorpe replaced him.

Additionally, Arthur was the secretary of the A. & H. Association, a member of St Luke’s Tennis Club, and a member of the local rugby league club.

When the train carrying Edward, the Prince of Wales, stopped at Rosewood for a brief period of 10 minutes on 4th August 1920, Lt. A. E. Adams DCM, had about 300 returned soldiers formed up under his command at the railway station. The Prince shook hands with Arthur and especially congratulated the decorated men.

Then a week later, on the 11th, he married Miss Norah Kathleen Broadbent, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Broadbent, of Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England. They were married at St. Andrew’s Church, South Brisbane by Rev. John Stafford Needham, a former rector of Rosewood, and an old friend of Arthur’s.

The bridegroom, who was in uniform, was supported by his brother, Mr. W. G. Adams, late R.A.N., as best man. The bride was attired in a handsome tailored coat and skirt of soft pearl coloured serge, with which was worn a close fitting hat of the same shade of silk, with an ostrich plume. She carried a bouquet of white and pale mauve sweet peas, tied with the battalion colours. She was attended by Miss Elsie Sellars (of Rosewood) as bridesmaid, who wore a becoming frock of very pale pink crepe de chene, with hat to harmonise. Her bouquet was composed of white and pale pink sweet peas, tied with the battalion colours. The happy couple left the church amid showers of rose leaves and confetti. The guests were entertained at a wedding tea by Mrs. J. S. Needham, at St. Andrew’s Rectory. The usual toasts were honoured. During the proceedings many congratulatory telegrams were received, as well as two cables from the bride’s relatives in England. Subsequently Mr. and Mrs. Adams motored to their future home at Rosewood, where the bridegroom occupies the position of shire clerk. The young couple were the recipients of many beautiful and useful presents, including a handsome dinner service from the Rosewood Shire Council.
[Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld.), Saturday 21 August 1920, page 6]

In March 1921, in time for a council meeting, Mr. Marks from the audit department forwarded a copy of his report on the council’s books for the previous year. It was stated that the “books were excellently kept by the young clerk.” Arthur was congratulated on the merit of the report by all of the councillors.

One year later, in March 1922, Arthur Adams resigned his position as shire clerk to take the similar position of Mr. John Grieg Smith at Esk Shire Council. Mr. Richard Bourne of Boonah was appointed as clerk at Rosewood.

Arthur was extremely popular in the Rosewood district and his departure was sincerely regretted by many.

In May 1922, Arthur and Norah welcomed a daughter Joan Noelle. Sadly the little girl died in January 1923.

Acting on medical advice, Arthur received four months’ leave of absence from Esk Shire Council and went to the Kyoomba Sanatorium at Stanthorpe, also known as the Stanthorpe Military Hospital (pictured at right in 1925). Many of the returned soldiers at Kyoomba were suffering from tuberculosis (TB) or the effects of gas attacks.

Arthur returned to work, but was forced to resign as the result of ill health. He went back to Kyoomba, where he passed away on 10th February 1925 aged 28 years.

Looking at his short yet meaningful life, I wonder if Arthur Adams was destined to start early; to distinguish himself as the youngest Shire Clerk. Then, equipped with qualities of leadership and bravery, distinguish himself again in the Great War, returning home to become the first president of the local RSL? He really did pack a whole lot into those 28 years.

His obituary in the Queensland Times stated: His death, at the age of 28 years, closed the career of a highly esteemed man of fine character.

Arthur was buried at Ipswich General Cemetery on 12th February 1925. [Church of England A/18/22] His name is inscribed on the Rosewood Shire Council Roll of Honor, and the Woody Point Honour Roll.

Norah Adams gave birth to their second daughter, Betty, on 1st May 1925. Finding that information made my heart soar and sink at the same time. Norah remarried (Thomas Edward Parkinson) and died in Mandurah, Western Australia in 1996.

A service was held at the Ipswich Cemetery on 19th July 2019 to Commemorate the 103rd Anniversary of the Battle of Fromelles. It was held at the grave site of a member of the 31st Battalion, Lt. Arthur Edward Adams DCM. Representatives from the Rosewood RSL attended.   Commemoration of 103rd Anniversary Battle of Fromelles

Here are some other links to further information.
A comprehensive account of Arthur’s service from  “The Whispering Boomerang”  the official website of the 31st Infantry Battalion Association Inc.

Stanthorpe Remembers – The Battle of Bapaume

Arthur’s service record can be viewed at the National Archives Australia – Adams Arthur Edward : SERN LIEUT 129 : POB Rosewood QLD : POE Brisbane QLD : NOK F Adams P H

Australian War Memorial – 31st Australian Infantry Battalion

Lest We Forget