Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Grave: | Hatfield Road Cemetery, St. Albans | ||
Awards & Titles: | Companion of The Most Honourable Order of the Bath Knight Grand Cross of The Royal Victorian Order Distinguished Service Order Military Cross & Bar Deputy Lieutenant County Antrim Justice of the Peace & many others | ||
Early Life :
Born 1897 in London, the only son of Sir Robert Shafto Adair, 5th Baronet and Mary Bosanquet. He was attended Harrow School between 1912 and 1916 and returned there as its Governor from 1947 until 1952.He married Enid Violet Ida Ward (b.1897–d.1984) on 28 April, 1919. They had two sons, Lieutenant Desmond Allan Shafto Adair (1920–1943), who was killed in action in Italy during World War 2 and Robert Dudley Shafto Adair (b.1923–d.1925). They had also three daughters: Bridget Mary Adair (b.1928), Juliet Enid Adair (b.1930) and Annabel Violet Adair (b.1937). Because his sons did not survive him, his title died with him.
His portrait image amongst others can be found on Find-a-grave.
Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
- The Second World War 1939-1945, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: General Staff |
| Action : War Survivor |
Although many perished in times of national conflict and in the service of their country, many more survived including those interned as Prisoners of War. Stories of those who did survive are included as part of this site, especially those with high gallantry awards, those included against an external rolls of honour and those who had a distinguished career in wartime and military leaderhip.
Detail :
Listed as a British Army general who served in both World Wars; as a company commander in the Grenadier Guards in the First, and as Commanding Officer the Guards Armoured Division in the Second. Joined the Army, receiving his commission as a probationary second lieutenant on 2nd May, 1916 in the 5th (Reserve) Battalion of the Grenadier Guards. From December 1916 he served in France and Belgium as part of the 2nd Company, 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards, with the rank of lieutenant.
Adair was awarded his first Military Cross (MC) on 2nd December, 1918. The citation in the London Gazette reads: "For conspicuous gallantry and resource while in command of the support company. Owing to thick fog the leading company lost direction and failed to turn up. He led his company correctly into position and then made several personal reconnaissances under heavy machine-gun and rifle fire, and cleared up the situation. He captured the objectives without the assistance of tanks or artillery, and broke up a hostile counter-attack the following morning."
He received his second Military Cross on 2nd April, 1919 "for conspicuous gallantry and skill at Preux-au-Sart," on 4th November 1918. "Whilst in command of the left front company, which was held up by an organised line of machine guns, he so manoeuvred his platoons as to capture the line with a minimum of casualties. Although wounded in the leg, he continued in command until relieved the following day"
After a short time as Chief Instructor at 161 Infantry Officer Cadet Training Unit at Sandhurst, he returned to his regiment on 8th May, 1940 where he was appointed Commanding Officer of the 3rd Battalion with the rank of acting lieutenant-colonel. The Guards soon found themselves in the thick of the fighting during the Battle of France, and held the perimeter against German attacks during the Dunkirk evacuation. He was appointed Exon in the Yeomen of the Guard, the ceremonial bodyguards to the monarch, on 21 November 1947, receiving promotion to Ensign on 30 June 1950 and then to Lieutenant on 31 August 1951,before finally retiring on 14 November 1967. He was Colonel of the Grenadier Guards from 1961 to 1974.
He is buried with his wife Enid Violet Ida, who died age 87 in 1984, at Hatfield Road Cemetery, St Albans, Hertfordshire.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | No. |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
- | - | - |
He had as distinguished a masonic career as he did his military. His father Sir Robert, was a Freemason, who was initiated into Westminster & Keystone Lodge No. 10 in 1921.
Appointed and invested as Deputy Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England from 1969 to 1976. He holds the prestigious honour of having conducted the initiation ceremony, as Assistant Grand Master, of His Royal Highness, The Duke of Kent on 16th December, 1963.
He was a member of Household Brigade Lodge No 2614.
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley