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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment
Pte. George William Foster
British Army 2nd Btn. Durham Light Infantry
from:12 Brighton Road Darlington
(d.9th Aug 1915)
George William Foster was born in Shildon, Co. Durham in 1894, the second of 10 children. His mother Elizabeth had died just before the 1911 census returns were filled, leaving his father Thomas with 7 children at home. George was the eldest by this time, having lost his eldest sister some years before. Aged 16, he worked for the North Eastern Railway Co as an engine cleaner at Bank Top Station in Darlington. In 1912, George joined the DLI TA. His father remarried and his second wife produced two further siblings for George and the others.
George went to war at the outset with 2 Durham Light Infantry and lasted a year before, along with too many other unfortunates, being killed in action at Hooges on 9th August 1915 aged 21. He never had the chance to have his own family, but is remembered by me, his great-niece. I would love to see a photograph of him, but do not know of the existence of any. His brother John followed him to France just two-three months later. He was not quite 17. He was to be more fortunate than his brother.
Pte. George F.W.G. Foster MiD.
British Army 1st Btn. Gordon Highlanders
from:Aberdeen
George Foster attested for the 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders on the 23rd of August 1902 from the Duke of Yorks Military Asylum, Chelsea. He was listed as a musician.
In 1914 he was part of the British Expeditionary Force in France involved in the Battle of Mons. He was part of the Brigade which failed to retreat in front of the German advance and was captured, with many others, on the outskirts of Bertry. Taken prisoner, he and others were marched through France and Belgium to northern Germany where he spent the rest of WW1 in Sennelager Prisoner of War Camp. George was Mentioned in Dispatches for his conduct and support to others whilst a PoW.
He was discharged from the Gordon Highlanders on completion of 25 year's service in 1927. He died in 1952.
Pte. Harry Foster
British Army 8th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers
from:Sheffield
(d.17th Feb 1917)
Harry is Foster buried in the Amara War Cemetery in Iraq (Mesopotamia). He gave his next of kin as Mrs. Eunice Foster of 105 Thorndon Road. Sheffield.
Sgt. Henry Foster
British Army 9th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles
from:128 Canmore St, Shankill Rd, Belfast
(d.1st Jul 1916)
The story goes on the day Henry Foster enlisted, he was refused due to his age, he left the recruiting office only to return minutes later but years younger.
Sgt. Herbert William Foster MM
British Army South Staffordshire Regiment
from:Willenhall
(d.17th September 1916)
Our grandfather, Herbert Foster, died saving two men from no man's land he was shot and died of his wounds. His memorial is at Hebuterne Militery Cemetery for his bravery he was awarded the MM
2nd Lt. J. T. Foster
Army Durham Light Infantry
Pte. James Foster
British Army Leicester Regiment
from:Castle Donnington, Leicestershire
James Foster joined the Leicestershires in 1916, after the upper age limit was reduced. He was released after being gassed at the Somme. He had also served in Sherwood Foresters in the second Boer war.
Pte. James Foster
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Brandon
(d.1st July 1916)
James Foster is named on the Thiepval Memorial
Pte. James R. Foster
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
L/Sgt James Foster
British Army 13th Btn. Royal Scots
from:Lasswade
(d.4th July 1916)
Pte. Jesse Edwin Foster
British Army 8th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders
from:Banff, Scotland
Jesse Foster was born in the Hastings area of Sussex in 1892. He moved to Scotland in his teens where he married and remained thereafter. He was a gardener, but joined the 8th Seaforths for the duration of WW1 being sent to France in 1916. He was captured after a fierce battle in Ypres on the 22nd August 1917, and was a POW first at Limburg, and then at Dulmen. He was very proud to be a Scot (by marriage and residence) and looked fine in his kilt!
Pte. John Foster
British Army 1st Battalion Middlesex Regiment
from:Kilburn, London
(d.25th Sep 1915)
My great, great grandfather John Foster served with the 1st Middlesex, I understand he was killed on the first day at the Battle of Loos. Aged 37, he left behind a young wife and son like many others. Unfortunately, I don't know much else we have his death medal, and telegram but no photographs it seems they have either been destroyed or gone missing with subsequent generations.
Dvr. John Foster
British Army 44th Brigade Royal Field Artillery
from:Ormskirk, Lancs
Jack Foster served with 44th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery.
L/Cpl John William Foster
British Army 9th Btn King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
from:Brigg
(d.1st July 1916)
Lance Corporal John Foster served with the 9th Battalion Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in WW1. He died 1st of July 1916 and is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial in France.
Gnr. John Foster
British Army 60th Anti Tank Regiment Royal Artillery
from:Leigh, Lancashire
Pte. John Foster
British Army 1st Btn. Lancashire Fusiliers
from:Tyldesley, Lancashire
(d.20th Jul 1916)
Pte. Joseph Foster
British Army 8th Btn. Durham Light Infantry
from:19 Charles St, Gateshead
(d.29th Sep 1916)
Pte. Joseph Foster
British Army 9th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
from:Jarrow
(d.5th Nov 1916)
Joseph Foster was the son of Thomas Foster of 45 Oak Street Jarrow and the late Frances Foster. On the 1911 census Joseph Foster age 15 Colliery Labourer is with his parents Thomas and Frances Foster at 7 Herd Street, Wardley Colliery. He was born and enlisted Gateshead. James died aged 20 on 5th November 1916 and is buried in Warlencourt British Cemetery.
Lt. L. T. L. Foster
Australian Women's Land Army Durham Light Infantry
Gunner Leonard Foster
British Army A Battery Royal Field Artillery
from:Royal Oak, West Hyde
(d.9th April 1917)
Pte. Matthew Foster
British Army Durham Light Infantry
from:County Durham
Matthew Foster enlisted 30.09.1914. He served on the Western Front and was discharged due to wounds on 07.04.1916.
Pte. Oswald Foster
British Army 12th (Bristol) Btn. Gloucestershire Regiment
from:Barton on Humber
(d.10th Oct 1917)
Oswald Foster was the only son of Elizabeth & Oswell Foster of Barton-on-Humber. His father was a sailor.
Pte. Oswald Foster
British Army 12th Service Gloucestershire Regiment
from:Barton-Upon-Humber
(d.10th October 1917)
Cpl. Oswald Henry "Ted" Foster
British Army 2/5th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment
from:Newark, Nottinghamshire
Oswald Foster served with the 2/5th, 6th, 3rd Battalions, Lincolnshire Regiment in WW1.
Cpl. Oswald Henry "Jim" Foster
British Army 6th Btn. Lincolnshire Regiment
from:Newark
After training, Oswald Foster's unit was sent to Gallipoli, where he was shot in the foot. He was hospitalized in Alexandria and eventually in England. After recuperating, he was sent to France and the trenches. There, he was disabled by trenchfoot and was again sent back to England for treatment. Upon recovering, he was returned to France, where he was promoted to lance corporal. In Jan 1918, he was reprimanded for failing to report a case of insubordination. The Army thought this so serious that nine days later he was promoted to corporal. In March 1918 he was reported missing, having been taken prisoner. He served 9 months in a German POW Camp. He was repatriated in Dec 1918 and demobilized on 15th Mar 1919. Did he ever get his 1914-1915 Star?
Rfmn. Robert McKibben Foster
British Army 7th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles
from:Belfast
(d.27th Mar 1916)
Robert Foster died on the Monday 27th March 1916 and is buried at Dud Corner Cemetery, Loos, France.
Cpl. Sidney Dent Foster
British Army 1st Btn Wiltshire Regiment
from:Nuneaton, Warwickshire
(d.17th Feb 1917)
Sidney Dent Foster was born in 1896, in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, where his family had lived for several generations. His older brother, Percy, is my great-grandfather. My family are fortunate to have kept several artefacts, medals and papers from both brothers, which I now hold. It is from these, and some research, that I can share some of Sidney's story.
Sidney worked as a clerk for the gas board in Nuneaton. As well as Percy, he had a younger sister and 2 brothers. There is a formal studio shot of him taken just before the war in his Sunday best.
After his older brother enlisted as a volunteer at the start of the war Sidney, too, joined up. He initially joined the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 13th Battalion, probably in October 1914. We have a picture (photo 3) of him standing in his first uniform, outside the house where he was billeted during training. One of the addresses kept by his brother shows that he was at a training camp near Blandford in Dorset. At some point Sidney seems to have transferred across to the 16th Battalion (3rd Birmingham Pals) and probably arrived in France with them in November, 1915. We have a picture of him as a Lance Corporal with some friends (photo 4), clearly showing the antelope cap badge of the Royal Warwickshires. From the state of their uniforms I assume this was taken before their arrival in France.
Whilst serving in France Sidney was transferred again, this time to the Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's), 1st Battalion, C Company. This was a regular army unit in the 25th Division but we are not sure how or when this transfer took place.
At the start of 1917 the 1st Battalion of the Wiltshires was stationed in the line around Ploegsteert Wood, south of Ypres in Belgium. Here, between 12th - 14th February, Sidney's C Company was withdrawn from the rest of the battalion to prepare for a daylight trench raid. They rehearsed this attack many times while positioned at Pont de Nieppe, right on the French-Belgian border directly south of Ypres.
At 10:40 am on 17th February the raid commenced, following preparatory work to cut the wire defences in no-man's-land. C Company was joined by soldiers from 10th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment, totalling about 200 in the raiding party. The objectives were north and south of Factory Farm, as well as the farm itself, the primary aim being to surprise the enemy and retrieve prisoners and information.
The raid was successful in surprising the enemy, approximately 20 being killed by the preliminary bombardment or during the fighting. All objectives were taken, with the exception of Factory Farm where, in the words of the official war diary 'stout resistance was offered'. Other than the dead enemy, however, no German prisoners were captured and no useful identifications were made. This minor skirmish cost the raiding party (again, from the war diary) 4 other ranks killed, 26 wounded, 1 died of wounds and 1 missing. Most of this seems to have resulted from enemy machine gun fire as the party returned to the British lines. Cpl. Sidney Foster was one of those killed. He was 20 years old. The following day his battalion was withdrawn from the front line.
As well as official documents mentioning this incident, the family also received 3 letters that help to explain some of the circumstances surrounding Sidney's death. The first of these, dated 19th February, was from his platoon commander, Lt. G. K. Wait, who described the raid and some of the bombing that went on. He also mentions the enemy machine guns that fired on the returning group, a bullet hitting Sidney in the head.
The second letter was from one of Sid's best friends in 10 Platoon, Sgt. David Mansell, D.C.M. He wrote to Sid's parents to express his condolences and sense of loss at his friend's death. He briefly explains that Sidney was hit by shrapnel in the chest – not a bullet – and died almost instantly. (We will never know which story is most accurate. Many such letters describe a quick death when sent to the bereaved.)
The final letter, dated 28th February, is the Army form B. 104-82, officially notifying the family of the death. It is a very dry document, listing the titles and numbers identifying Sidney and noting the cause of death as Killed In Action.
By far the most significant document for the family, however, remains the hand-written final letter that Sidney wrote to his father during training for the raid, only 4 days before he was killed. He thanks everyone for the parcels that just arrived with gifts of cigarettes, food and so on. He sounds in good spirits and sends his love to all the family. Most of the remaining paperwork the family kept relates to Sidney's final resting place. An official grave card and picture was sent between the wars (photo 5), after the original crosses had been turned into headstones by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Sidney seems to be unusual in that he still lies in exactly the same place he was buried in 1917. He rests in a corner of the Berks Cemetery Extension, alongside his comrades from the Wiltshire and Cheshire regiments who fell on the same day.
Sidney's father, Frederick Foster, chose the inscription to be added to his gravestone, as a lasting tribute: 'At Rest, Ever Remembered By Loved Ones'. In some small way, telling this story is my own way of honouring those words.
The official grave card with a photo of Sidney's head stone
Pte. Thomas F. Foster
British Army 3/1st Squadron. Lincolnshire Yeomanry
from:Northborough
(d.30th Oct 1917)
2/Lt. W. R. Foster
British Army 11th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles
W. R. Foster arrived as a reinforcement for this battalion on 3rd October 1916.
Pte. Wilfred Harry Foster
British Army 18th Btn. Durham Light Infantry
Page 28 of 40
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