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]
He made his début for Leeds against Featherstone Rovers at Headingley, 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]
^David Smart & Andrew Howard (1 July 2000) "Images of Sport - Castleford Rugby League - A Twentieth Century History". The History Press Ltd. ISBN978-0752418957
