HughAHalliday
17th June 2022, 13:55
ADAMS, Linford Herbert, Sergeant (742983) – No. 50 Squadron – Distinguished Flying Medal – awarded as per London Gazette dated 25 April 1941. Information from Spink catalogue of 19 July 2007.
Sergeant Linford Herbert Adams, D.F.M., born Hornsey, London, 1915; educated at Southend High School and Southend Technical College; joined Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 7.2.1939, with early training postings including at No. 6 S.F.T.S., Little Rissington, 10.10 1939-28.4.1940 and No. 16 O.T.U., Upper Heyford, 4.5.1940-9.8.1940; after a brief period (9.8.1940-25.8.1940) with 106 Squadron, Finningley. Adams was posted for service with 50 Squadron (Hampdens), LInholme, 25.8.1940, and flew in 29 night operational sorties with the squadron including: Laeso; Ostend; Lorient (5); Calais; Bremen (2); Magdeburg (2); Hamburg (2); Mannheim (2); 17.11.1940 ‘Operations – Spiekebroog - crashed on landing’ (Log Book refers)l 25.11.1940 ‘Bombing – Kiel – crashed (Log Book refers); 25.11.1940 ‘Bombing – Kiel – crashed (Log Book refers); Bonn; Hanover; Brest and Bremen (2); Adam’s D.F.M. was presented to him by the King at Buckingham Palace, 4.11.1941; on 20.9.1940, after returning from an aborted sortie to the Netherlands, with the port engine appearing to be on fire, the order to bale out was given and Adams duly followed the command, landing in the middle of Hemswell Aerodrome on a stormy night; however, due to the inclement weather, the rest of the crew, not keen on jumping into the unknown, decided to stay with the aircraft and they safely managed to crash land, thus making Adams the only member of the then crew to qualify for membership of the Caterpillar Club.
With his first tour completed, Adams was posted for instructional duties to No. 25 O.T.U., Finningley, 28.2.1941; it was whilst at this posting that he was tragically killed in a flying accident, piloting Manchester Bomber L7428, 18.11.1941; the aircraft crashed at Scaftworth, near Bawtry, Yorkshire, killing three of the five crew members; Adams is buried in Sutton Road Cemetery, Southend.
Sergeant Linford Herbert Adams, D.F.M., born Hornsey, London, 1915; educated at Southend High School and Southend Technical College; joined Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 7.2.1939, with early training postings including at No. 6 S.F.T.S., Little Rissington, 10.10 1939-28.4.1940 and No. 16 O.T.U., Upper Heyford, 4.5.1940-9.8.1940; after a brief period (9.8.1940-25.8.1940) with 106 Squadron, Finningley. Adams was posted for service with 50 Squadron (Hampdens), LInholme, 25.8.1940, and flew in 29 night operational sorties with the squadron including: Laeso; Ostend; Lorient (5); Calais; Bremen (2); Magdeburg (2); Hamburg (2); Mannheim (2); 17.11.1940 ‘Operations – Spiekebroog - crashed on landing’ (Log Book refers)l 25.11.1940 ‘Bombing – Kiel – crashed (Log Book refers); 25.11.1940 ‘Bombing – Kiel – crashed (Log Book refers); Bonn; Hanover; Brest and Bremen (2); Adam’s D.F.M. was presented to him by the King at Buckingham Palace, 4.11.1941; on 20.9.1940, after returning from an aborted sortie to the Netherlands, with the port engine appearing to be on fire, the order to bale out was given and Adams duly followed the command, landing in the middle of Hemswell Aerodrome on a stormy night; however, due to the inclement weather, the rest of the crew, not keen on jumping into the unknown, decided to stay with the aircraft and they safely managed to crash land, thus making Adams the only member of the then crew to qualify for membership of the Caterpillar Club.
With his first tour completed, Adams was posted for instructional duties to No. 25 O.T.U., Finningley, 28.2.1941; it was whilst at this posting that he was tragically killed in a flying accident, piloting Manchester Bomber L7428, 18.11.1941; the aircraft crashed at Scaftworth, near Bawtry, Yorkshire, killing three of the five crew members; Adams is buried in Sutton Road Cemetery, Southend.