1967 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother – Elsie Adams

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National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother Elsie Adams
(Photo: courtesy of Ernie Adams)

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(Photo: courtesy of Ernie Adams)

Mrs. Elsie Adams of St. Catharines, Ontario, was the 1967 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother. During the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on November 11, 1967, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all mothers who have lost a child in military service to Canada.

On August 15, 1944, her son, Lieutenant William George Adams, was killed in Normandy while serving with the Lincoln and Welland Regiment.

On September 27, 1944, a second son, Sergeant Allan Frederick Adams, also serving with the Lincoln and Welland Regiment, was killed near the Scheldt Estuary.

Mrs. Adams married William Charles Adams. They lived in St. Catharines, Ontario and had seven sons, William, Allan, Charles, Roy, Ernst, Norman and Colin—all of whom enlisted. Charles, Roy, Allan and William Adams served with the Lincoln and Welland Regiment and Ernst with the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. The youngest of the seven brothers, Staff Sergeant Colin Adams went to Germany with the dental corps.

The family was very musical. Three of the children served as bandsmen in the army while Mr. Adams was the bandmaster with the 1^st infantry battalion in France during the First World War.

Mrs. Adams’ son, Captain Charles Adams, was the director of music for the Canadian guards at Petawawa and responsible for music at the National Remembrance ceremony. On November 11, 1967 when his mother laid the memorial, he led the band.

List of National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mothers

(Information courtesy of the Royal Canadian Legion, Canadian War Museum and families of the National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mothers)