6213208 Private Albert Thomas ADAMS Albert Adams was born on the 22nd of December 1920 in Bethnal Green, London, the son of George John Adams and his wife Elizabeth (née Millicent). In 1921 the family was living at 26 Bandon Road, Bethnal Green, London.

In 1940 he married Dorothy Grout in Southwark.

Sometime during the period of WW2 Albert enlisted with the RAMC. He was attached to the 11th Parachute Battalion and became Batman to Captain Stuart Mawson, who describes him as being: ‘Cockney born and bred, short, dark and sturdy, with a somewhat mournful expression emphasised by a moustache of which, I have been told, he was inordinately proud. He was a discreet but expert scrounger and, although only in his very early twenties, seemed very old and knowing for his age. He never showed any resentment at being what the army would regard as my servant…as a medical clerk he was a dependable keeper of records...he sat with me in the sick parades and never missed a trick. From the medical knowledge thus gained he founded a clandestine medical practice of his own. Men who did not care to go sick officially would seek him out privately and ask his advice. He was also regarded by them as a reliable channel of information for some of the unpublished aspects of Battalion affairs’. (Excerpt taken from the book Arnhem Doctor (2008) by Stuart Mawson). Along with Captain Mawson and Sergeant Dwyer, Albert was reported as missing on the 25th of September 1944, however, on the 2nd December 1944 he was reported as being a PoW in Stalag 11B, Fallingbostel, Germany, PoW number 118616. Unfortunately, we do not know what happened to Albert or his wife after this date. If you or anyone you may know has information about Albert we would love to hear from you. Albert was on parachute course 66 at Ramat David, Palestine, from 13 - 25 September 1943.
He belonged to 181 Airlanding Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) and was attached to Headquarters Company, 11th Parachute Battalion.
During the Battle of Arnhem he was taken Prisoner of War (POW) and was send to Stalag 11B near Fallingbostel, Germany.
His POW number was 118616.

We are still researching the life of Corporal Ball. If you are a relative or have any information about him, please contact us.