Francis Luke (Frank) Adams | Bacchus Marsh Avenue Of Honour

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Air Mechanic Francis Luke (Frank) Adams

Service No.:

Unit:

Australian Flying Corps

Tree No.:

N001

Planted by:

Miss Doris (Dot) Cowan⁽¹⁾

Image of plaque on tree N001 for Adams, F L

Francis Luke Adams was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, on the 10^th of October 1892 to Francis Luke Adams and Ellen Fanny Bushell.

DOD - POW

He was living in Bacchus Marsh, VIC and working as a carpenter when he enlisted at Werribee, VIC, in the AIF, in July 1915, aged 22. He was allotted to the Australian Flying Corps, 1^stReinforcements, as an Air Mechanic and in August he embarked for the Middle East, aboard the RMS Persia and joned his unit in India in mid September. He was soon aiding the British in their march on Baghdad.

Image of Francis Adams — Courtesy of
Star (Christchurch) May 23 1918

In the middle of 1916 Luke, along with 13,000 others, surrendered to overwhelming Turkish forces at Kut-el-Amara (Kut) and became a Prisoner of War in Turkey.

Sometime later that year he died of Malaria and Diarrhoea.

Frank was exhumed from the Adana Prisoners of War Cemetery, Turkey and reburied in the Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, Grave 8, Row W, Plot 21.

...necessary to remove the bodies ... and re-bury in Baghdad ... to secure the reverent maintenance of the graves...
... it proved impossible to identify the remains of these soldiers individually.
They were therefore, re-buried in certain graves ... These graves will be marked by Memorials each bearing the name of one of the soldiers and an inscription reading 'Buried near this Spot' ..
Source: Service Records.

He was recommended for the Distinguished Conduct Medal

His obituary appeared in the Star (Christchurch) on May 23 1918.

He is listed on the Shire of Bacchus Marsh Roll of Honour, the Bacchus Marsh Roll of Honor, the Bacchus Marsh & District Roll of Honour and the Holy Trinity Church Roll of Honour in Bacchus Marsh. Frank is also remembered at the Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial at Ballarat, Vic.

Notes

Frank wrote to her whilst a POW. She knew his mother in NZ.

Location of Tree Number N001

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Air Mechanic Francis Luke (Frank) Adams

Notes

Location of Tree Number N001

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