Lieutenant-Colonel Fred Adams
4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards

The manner in which Lt.-Col. Adams handled his Regiment in this very difficult operation is worthy of the highest praise and had a large share in the success achieved by the operations of 22 and 23 May when the defences were breached and further advance made possible.

(D.S.O. citation, 20 Jul 1944)

Born on 16 June 1907 in Calgary, Fred Dean Adams belonged to the Calgary (Tank) Regiment before the war, transferred to the Calgary Highlanders on mobilization then the Edmonton Regiment, and became second-in-command of the 4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards in January 1941. He succeeded Lieutenant-Colonel Harry Foster of the re-designated 4th Reconnaissance Battalion on his appointment to general staff of the 1st Canadian Division in August 1942.

In March 1943, Adams temporarily handed over command to Major W.W.G. Darling during Exercise Spartan while he acted as umpire. On 10 July 1943, the 1st Division landed in Sicily, however only one PLDG squadron had enough vehicles. The transport carrying the rest had been torpedoed. “This is very discouraging,” the war diary recorded. “After training two years and six months, we are unable to take advantage of the first opportunity of going into action.” A sufficient number of reconnaissance vehicles would not arrive until October after the invasion of Italy. Adams commanded his own task force in the spring 1944 offensive and earned the Distinguished Service Order for leadership in operations against the Hitler Line.

In July 1944, Allied military leaders decided that the 5th Armoured Division required additional infantry regiments for the newly formed 12th Infantry Brigade. The 4th Reconnaissance Battalion left the 1st Division and converted to the PLDG infantry regiment. “Our vehicles have gone,” the war diary lamented. “These were our homes for a long time and no cavalry-man ever felt sadder at losing a faithful and tried mount that we all did when these were taken away. They seemed to be so much part of each of us.”

With morale in the unit suffering following this conversion to infantry, Major-General Bert Hoffmeister and Brigadier Dan Spry called Adams and Major Darling to 12th Brigade headquarters. As a result of the interviews Adams relinquished command to Darling on 12 August. He returned home in March 1945. Postwar Adams served as commanding officer of the Fort Garry Horse before a promotion to brigadier in the reserve army in 1949.

He died on 15 July 1982.