Les Adams (rugby league)

Leslie "Les" Adams (birth registered fourth ¼ 1909[4] – 31 January 1945), also known by the nickname of "Juicy", was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s and 1940s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Yorkshire, and at club level for Leeds (two spells, including the second as a World War II guest), Huddersfield and Castleford, as a scrum-half, i.e. number 7.[5][6][7][8]

Leslie Adams
Ogden's Cigarette card featuring Leslie Adams
Personal information
Full nameLeslie Adams
Bornfourth ¼ 1909
Hyde Park, Leeds, England
Died31 January 1945 (aged 35)
near Rangoon, British Burma
Playing information
PositionScrum-half
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1926–32 Leeds 109 18 1 56
1932–34 Huddersfield
1934–42 Castleford 196 39 0 0 117
1942(guest) → Leeds
Total 305 57 1 0 173
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1931–37 Yorkshire ≥7 0 0 0 0
1931–39 England 3 0 0 0 0
1932 Great Britain 1 0 0 0 0
Source: [1][2][3]

Background

Les 'Juicy' Adams' birth was registered in Leeds district, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, and he died aged 35 in Burma.

Playing career

International honours

Adams won caps for England while at Leeds in 1931 against Wales, while at Castleford in 1936 against Wales, in 1939 against France,[2] and won a cap for Great Britain while at Leeds on Saturday 18 June 1932 against Australia at Brisbane Cricket Ground (the Gabba).[3]

County honours

He won caps playing Scrum-half for Yorkshire while at Castleford in the 0-10 defeat by Cumberland at Whitehaven's stadium on 29 September 1934, the 5-5 draw with Lancashire at Leeds' stadium on 9 January 35, the 16-5 victory over Lancashire at Widnes' stadium on 12 October 1935, the 16-10 victory over Cumberland at Workington Town's stadium on 10 October 1936, the 6-28 defeat by Lancashire at Castleford's stadium on 21 October 1936, and the 7-7 draw with Cumberland at Hunslet's stadium on 10 November 1937.[7]

Challenge Cup Final appearances

He played scrum-half in Leeds' 11–8 victory over Swinton in the 1931–32 Challenge Cup Final during the 1931–32 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 7 May 1932, played scrum-half in Huddersfield's 21–17 victory over Warrington in the 1932–33 Challenge Cup Final during the 1932–33 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 6 May 1933,[9] and played scrum-half, and scored a try in Castleford's 11–8 victory over Huddersfield in the 1934–35 Challenge Cup Final during the 1934–35 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 4 May 1935, in front of a crowd of 39,000,[10] In doing so, he became the first player to win the Challenge Cup with three different clubs.

County League appearances

Adams played in Castleford's victories in the Yorkshire County League during the 1932–33 season and 1938–39 season.

Club career

He made his début for Leeds against Featherstone Rovers at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on 26 March 1927.[11] His transfer from Huddersfield to Castleford on 18 January 1934, for a reported fee of £500, came at his own request.[12]

Genealogical information

Leslie Adams' marriage to Gladys (née Collinson) was registered in June 1934 in Leeds North district.[13] They had children; June M. Adams, born in March 1937 and registered in Leeds North district.[14] Adams was the uncle of the rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s for Leeds and Bramley, Philip Adams (born c. 1944).

Death

Adams became a landlord in Leeds, and subsequently volunteered for war duty with the Royal Air Force, becoming a rear gunner with the rank of flight sergeant. He was killed in action on 31 January 1945 while serving as an air gunner on an aerial reconnaissance operation during the Burma campaign. The Liberator B Mk V in which he was flying suffered fatal engine trouble caused by bullets from a Japanese night fighter at 3:10 am 40 miles (64 km) south-west of Rangoon, British Burma. Of the nine men on the plane, three of the occupants, including Adams, are believed to have trapped in the back of the plane, causing them to be killed in the crash. The remaining six men were captured, the 2 officers were separated from the Flight Sergeants and sent to Rangoon Jail, where they survived. The Flight Sergeants, including Stan Woodbridge, later awarded the George Cross, were beheaded by the Japanese Military on 7 February 1945, and are buried in the Taukkyan War Cemetery. After the war the Japanese military officers responsible for the execution were tried for war crimes, and were subsequently executed. Despite numerous searches of the area around the crash site, and discussions with villagers who found the plane, no trace of the body of Adams, or his colleagues, was found.[15]

Honoured at Castleford Tigers

Adams is a Tigers Hall Of Fame Inductee.[16]

References
  1. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  2. "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  3. "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  4. "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  5. David Smart & Andrew Howard (1 July 2000) "Images of Sport - Castleford Rugby League - A Twentieth Century History". The History Press Ltd. ISBN 978-0752418957
  6. "Castleford RLFC A to Z Player List (All Time)". thecastlefordtigers.co.uk ℅ web.archive.org. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  7. "Statistics at thecastlefordtigers.co.uk". thecastlefordtigers.co.uk ℅ web.archive.org. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  8. "Profile at leedsrugby.dnsupdate.co.uk". leedsrugby.dnsupdate.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 16 November 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  9. "Fartown At Wembley - "The Wembley Years" - 1933, 1935, 1953 And 1962" (PDF). huddersfieldrlheritage.co.uk. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  10. "Sat 4th May 1935 - Challenge Cup - Neutral Ground - 39,000". thecastlefordtigers ℅ web.archive.org. 31 December 2014. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  11. Dalby, Ken (1955). The Headingley Story - 1890-1955 - Volume One - Rugby. The Leeds Cricket, Football & Athletic Co. Ltd ASIN: B0018JNGVM
  12. "Adams Transferred". Yorkshire Evening Post. 19 January 1934. p. 17.
  13. "Marriage details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  14. "Births Mar 1937".
  15. "Casualty Details: Leslie Adams". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  16. "Hall of Fame at castigers.com". castigers. 31 December 2008. Archived from the original on 6 May 2006. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
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