adamson

Robert Adamson (1871-1935), American journalist; in 1914 he was campaign manager for John Purroy Mitchell, and was appointed Fire Commissioner of the City of New York: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Adamson_%28FDNY_Commissioner%29 Joseph Johnson Jr was Adamson's predecessor at Fire Commissioner: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Johnson_%28FDNY_Commissioner%29

@Penny: only one ell in "Mitchel," please.

Another Bain/LOC photo of Robert Adamson and his peculiar desktop:

That photo must have been taken nearly at the same time as the one above. Notice the identical cigar in an identical position on the desktop.

I could not find a Medal Index card listed at the National Archive for a Captain T Adamson of the Highland Light Infantry. I could not find one for a Major either - just in case he'd been promoted before he'd entered a Theatre of War.

What I could find was a card for a Captain F J Adamson, 12th Battalion Highland Light Infantry which is held under reference WO 372/1/20446.
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D1....
He had initially been a Second Lieutenant.

Could therefore be a typo - either on the card or the name associated with this photograph.

There was also a 2nd Lieutenant George Adamson who died at Loos in 1915 while serving with the 12th Battalion HLI.
www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/726358/ADAMSON,%20GEORGE

Robert Edward Adamson (1871-1935), New York City official, became Fire Commissioner in 1914: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Adamson_(FDNY_Commissioner)

Newly appointed by the recently-chosen mayor-elect, John Puroy Mitchel.

Another Bain/LOC photo of Commissioner Robert Adamson, shown here with his predecessor as NYC Fire Commissioner, Joseph Johnson: