FOSTER, Edward Joseph
| Service Number: | 289 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 12 January 1916, Hindmarsh, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 43rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Queenstown, South Australia, 12 March 1894 |
| Home Town: | Hindmarsh, Charles Sturt, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Marist Brothers School |
| Occupation: | Rope maker |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Broodseinde Ridge, Belgium, 4 October 1917, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Menin Gate Memorial (Commonwealth Memorial to the Missing of the Ypres Salient), Mitcham Baptist Church Roll of Honour, Rosewater Marist Brothers Port Adelaide Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 12 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 289, Hindmarsh, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Jun 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 289, 43rd Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: '' | |
| 9 Jun 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 289, 43rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Afric, Adelaide | |
| 4 Oct 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 289, 43rd Infantry Battalion, Broodseinde Ridge |
Edward Joseph Foster
Edward Joseph Foster, son of Thomas and Ellen Foster, was born on the 12 March 1894 at Queenstown South Australian.
Edward was the second youngest in a family of 12 children and served about three years in the cadets before enlisting in the AIF.
Edward's parents were once owners of Brompton Hotel and one night Edward, who had drank excessive amount of alcohol, was ejected from his parents hotel. It was unfortunate that the Port Road was under construction and opposite the hotel there was large pile of gravel. Edward commenced to throw rocks at the the hotel and succeeded in smashing most of the windows and much of the interior.
Edward was killed in action by concussion from a near miss on 4 October 1917.
Originally he was buried in Polygon Wood near Zonebeke but his grave was destroyed in following battles and his name is now on Menin Gate
Submitted 6 September 2014 by Carol Foster
Biography
Edward died from concssion from a 'near miss' artillery shell early in the morning. An older brother Thomas was wounded a few hours latter and died the following day
Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
Edward's parents owned the Brompton Hotel but Edward used to drink at other hotels in the local area as well including the Hope Inn on Port Road. According to the family story and the a newspaper clipping at the time Edward, aged 18 years, was drunk in the Hope Inn and was removed from the premies. Not happy about that he proceeded to smash windows and bottles including 10 bottles of whisky. The total cost of the damage was in todays value about £8 if is wasn't paid then he was to be imprisoned for 14 days. The £8 was paid, however it is interesting to note that when he enlisted, where the Attestation Paper asked had any criminal offences been commtted Edward said 'No'.
Son of Thomas and Ellen Foster, of 15, Bond St., West Hindmarsh, South Australia. Brother of 1868 Private Thomas Foster of the 43 Battaion died of wounds 5 October 1917; 1665 Private John Foster of 48 Battalion, returned to Australia on 2 June 1919; 2921 Private George Foster of the 32 Battalion returned to Australia 22 May 1919
Commemorated in the Cheltenham Cemetery
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