William Adair
Sir William Thompson Adair was a Royal Marines officer and Ulster Unionist.Biography
Educated at Cheltenham College, he entered the Royal Marine Light Infantry as a lieutenant on 6 December 1867, and was promoted to captain on 1 July 1881. He received the brevet rank of major on 6 December 1888, the substantive rank of major on 3 May 1889, the brevet rank of lieutenant colonel on 6 December 1895, and the substantive rank of lieutenant colonel on 7 February 1896. In early February 1900 he embarked the SS Canada leaving Southampton for South Africa, where he was to serve in the Second Boer War. He received the brevet rank of colonel on 7 February 1900, and was appointed Assistant Adjutant General on 1 November 1900. Following his return to the United Kingdom, he was promoted colonel second commandant of the Royal Marine Light Infantry on 30 January 1902. He became Deputy Adjutant-General Royal Marines June 1907 before retiring in June 1911.
Adair played a prominent role in the Ulster Unionist Party and was commander of the Antrim Ulster Volunteer Force. In 1914, he took charge of the landing and dispersal of guns during the Larne gun-running.
