Name
George Foster
Circa 1884
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/04/1918
37
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
2644
East Surrey Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Searched but not found
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HAVERSKERQUE BRITISH CEMETERY
B. 2.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, British Schools Museum Memorial, Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin, We are not aware of any Gosmore memorial
Pre War
George was born in Gosmore (near Hitchin) around 1884. We are confident that his parents were Henry George and Phoebe Ann Foster (née Titmuss) who married in Hitchin on 20 July 1889, however there are some discrepancies in ages in the following census information. Also, in the 1901 census George was named as Henry George - as he was in the marriage record - however birth locations of the children listed confirm that we are correct.
In 1891 the family were living in Charlton (near Hitchin). Present were both parents: George (31) and Phoebe (24), with George’s father working as a Coleman, but this is badly written. Their children were: Albert (8), George (7), Charles (5) and Harry at 8 months.
In 1901 the family were still living in Charlton. Present were both parents (the father being written as Henry George), with George’s father working as an agricultural labourer. Of the above children Albert is missing and George was 16 and also working as an agricultural labourer. New siblings were Sidney (7), Lenard (5), John (3) and Richard (1).
By 1911 the family had moved to 52 Queen Street, Hitchin. Present were both parents, Henry George now recorded as a farming labourer. The census recorded they had been married for 21 years with 11 of whom 4 had died. The children now listed were George – a farm labourer, Charley, Sidney, Harry, John, Richard, and they are joined by Walter (7).
Officially George was recorded as born in St. Mary's, Hitchin, Herts., believed to be more accurately Gosmore, and he enlisted in Hitchin.
Wartime Service
One database suggests that George, always in the East Surreys, first served in 9th Battalion, then the 7th, then the 13th and finally the 1st, but no original records have yet been found to corroborate it.
George was given the regimental number 2644 and posted to the 13th Battalion of the Regiment, which was part of the 119th Brigade in the 40th Division of XV Corps in the 1st Army. He was wounded on four occasions during his service and, after suffering a serious arm injury, he died of wounds in a Casualty Clearing Station in France, probably during the Battle of Estaires. This would have been either No. 33 or No. 54 Casualty Clearing Station in Haverskerque.
The fighting involving the 13th Battalion occurred on the River Lys on the line Armentieres to Laventie south of the Steenwerck stream after a German attack. The Brigade was called on to counter-attack in order to recover the Bac St. Maur bridgehead but they were forced back with heavy casualties.
It was reported it's about a fortnight before the news of his death was received, Private Foster wrote to his mother stating that he had taken part in one of the big battles in the early stages of the German offensive. At that time he had only recently left base hospital in France, where he had been recovering from his fourth wound. Later she received another letter which said "I am getting a chaplain to write this, as I have been very severely wounded in my left arm and shall not be able to write for a long time. I am going to hospital." His wounds must have been more serious then he believed for he died the next day.
He was buried in Row B, Grave 2 in Haverskerque British Cemetery in France. A private inscription on the headstone reads "Gone but never forgotten”.
Additional Information
After his death a local newspaper reported that his parents were living at 8, Fairview Cottage, Kershaw's Hill, Hitchin.
After his death a £1 2s 0d recharge was recorded on 12 July 1917 and then £18 14s 1d was authorised to go to his mother on 15 October 1918. Later, a war gratuity of £17 was authorised to be paid to her, on 17 November 1919.
His pension cards record Pheobe Ann Foster, his mother, as his dependant, living at 8 Fair View Cottages, Kershaw Hill, Hitchin. She was awarded a gratuity of just over £36 on 7 January 1919.
His brother, Harry was earlier killed in action on the 13th February 1916. Three other sons also served.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
