Arthur William Adams

A Leading Seaman with H.M.S. Firedrake, Arthur died on 17th of December 1942 at the age of 35. 

Arthur was born at Lowestoft on 10 July 1907, a son of William and May Adams. He was baptised at Saint John's Church, Lowestoft, on 16 August 1907, and his family lived at 10 Summer Road. 

In 1921 Arthur began working in the Mercantile Marine. Initially he served on the S. S. Kumara as a Deck Boy and Wireless Watcher. 

Arthur joined the Royal Naval Reserve on 25 February 1926. At the time he lived at Bath House, Hamilton Road. He re-enrolled in 1931 and again in 1936. 

In 1926 Arthur worked on the ocean liner Ruahine and in 1927 joined the Limerick. From 1928 he worked on the liner S. S. Otranto and in 1929 joined the S. S. Orsova. He served on S. S. Ormonde in 1930. Between 1931 and 1936 Arthur worked on the ocean liners S. S. Oronsay and S. S. Orsova which made voyages from Britain to Australia. From 1937 he began working on the liner S. S. Ormonde. 

On 20 January 1934 Arthur married Thora Louisa May Sterry at Saint Margaret's Church, Lowestoft. Arthur was working in the Mercantile Marine and living 'On high seas'; Thora was living at 37 Kent Road and worked as a shop assistant. In 1935 they lived at 7 Durban Road, Lowestoft. By 1942 their home was at 55 Durban Road, Lowestoft.

Arthur was called out for service during World War Two and from 21 November 1939 was at H.M.S. Pembroke I. He served on the Armed Merchant Cruiser Circassia from 19 December 1939 to 13 February 1941; at the anti-submarine base H.M.S. Nimrod from 6 March 1941 to 2 May 1941; then at anti-submarine base H.M.S. Osprey until 15 May 1941. He joined the destroyer H.M.S. Firedrake on 16 May 1941. 

Arthur was awarded the Royal Naval Reserve Long Service Medal in 1942.

From early 1942 H.M.S. Firedrake was an Atlantic Convoy escort ship. On 16 December 1942 the Firedrake was escorting Convoy ON 153 and was sunk by a torpedo fired by the German submarine U-211. There were 26 survivors, but 140 crew, including Arthur, were killed.