Alfred, born in Melton in 1889, was the second son of Walter and Emma. In 1911, he worked as a valet for John Seymour Mellor. (Mellor was later awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Military Cross and considered a celebrated soldier in both World Wars.) When war broke out, Alfred was working as a butler to Georgiana Chetwynd North, the Dowager Countess of Guilford, in Lennox Gardens, London. Alfred’s future wife, Rosa, was also a member of the household staff. In September 1914, he enlisted in the Coldstream Guards at Waltham Green, London, attaining the rank of Lance Corporal, before reverting to a Private. At the beginning of March 1915, Alfred married Rosa Winifred Smith in Chelsea. A little over two weeks later, on 17th March, he was on route France to join his battalion in billets at Le Quesnoy, near Béthune. The following day, Alfred got his first taste of the trenches at Givenchy-le-Bassée. On 17th March 1916, a year after landing in France, Alfred and the 3rd Coldstream Guards found themselves in billets on the banks of the Yser Canal and the next day were on the front line in “Fenchurch Street” trench. The battalion war diary described its condition; 

 “Whole line in bad state. Parapets weak and low. No drainage. No communication by day.”

 In July 1916, the Guards Division was defending the Morteldje line which came under sustained minenwerfer (mortar) attack from the German forces. The 2nd Coldstream Guard’s war diary entry of the 7th July 1916, after they had been relieved by Alfred’s battalion, described the effect of the minenwerfer on the Morteldje salient as follows:

 “The thousands of shell holes are full of water, and the ground is badly waterlogged. The Morteldje salient is, however, the worst part as the ground has been extensively churned up by minenwerfers.”

 The mortar attacks continued while the 3rd Coldstream Guards were defending the salient and their war diary contained the following entries for the 6th to 12th of July:

 “6th July: Move in evening to relieve 3rd Guards Brigade. Left Reserve Battalion at Chateau Trois Tours. 7th July: From Trois Tours in the evening relieved 2nd Scots Guards. Left Front Battalion, Right Brigade. Battalion in Morteldje Line. 8th to 11th July: In trenches. Right Front Company very heavily Minenwerfered. (a Minenwerfer was a German short range mortar.) 12th July: In trenches. Relieved by 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards and proceeded to Chateau Trois Tours.”

It is likely that on the 7th July, Alfred was fatally wounded by one such attack and his body was taken to an Advanced Dressing Station at Essex Farm where he was later buried. On 20th July the Woodbridge Reporter and Wickham Market Gazette reported: The other whose death in the recent severe fighting, tidings have been received during the past week is Alfred Walter Adams, second son of Mrs Adams (a widow) of Hackney Road, Melton. Official notification of his death has not yet been received, but the source of the information leaves no room for doubt upon the matter, a letter having been received from a comrade and great friend expressing his great sorrow that Private Adams had been killed instantaneously. Pte Adams was formerly in the service of Mr G H Grant of Melton Grange, as a footman. At the time of joining the forces in September 1914, he was Butler in the employ of the Dowager Countess of Guildford, at Lennox Gardens in London. He went out to France on 17th March 1915, and was home on a ten days leave last October. He had seen a considerable amount of fighting and had one or two narrow escapes; on one occasion a bullet went through his cap and out just above his forehead. Deceased was married in March 1915 and therefore leaves a young widow. Much sympathy will be extended to her as well to the widowed mother who has two other sons in the war zone. One being a Sergeant in the Suffolks and the youngest in the Garrison Artillery.” Alfred’s family received the 1915 Star, British War and Victory Medals for his war service. His wife, Rosa, did not remarry and in 1931, she was living at 4 Lennox Gardens, London, having remained in the employment of Georgiana, Dowager Countess of Guilford.