VC Action: Tom Edwin Adlam VC, Italian
Silver Medal for Military Valeur (21 October 1893—28 May 1975)
was twenty two years old, and a temporary second lieutenant
in the 7th Battalion, The Bedfordshire Regiment, British Army
during the First World War.
Adlam joined the Territorial Force in September
1912, and after the outbreak of war was given a commission
as a Second Lieutenant in the Bedfordshire Regiment in November
1915.
It was on 27 September 1916 at Thiepval and
Swaben Redoubt, France, when the following deed took place
for which he was awarded the VC:
A portion of a village which had defied capture
had to be taken at all costs, to permit subsequent operations
to develop.
This minor operation came under very heavy
machine-gun and rifle fire. Second Lieutenant Adlam, realising
that time was all-important, rushed from shell-hole to shell-hole
under heavy fire, collecting men for a sudden rush, and for
this purpose also collected many enemy grenades. At this stage
he was wounded in the leg, but nevertheless he was able to
out-throw the enemy, and then seizing his opportunity, and
in spite of his wound, he led a rush, captured the position
and killed the occupants.
Throughout the day he continued to lead his
men in bombing attacks. On the following day he again displayed
courage of the highest order, and, though again wounded and
unable to throw bombs, he continued to lead his men. His magnificant
example of valour, coupled with the skilful handling of the
situation, produced far-reaching results.
Adlam served in the Second World War with
the Royal Engineers (Movement Control Section), and later
achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1944. |
