Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

This biography was written by a HS student as part of a historical enquiry into the life of a World War One serviceperson, who in this case is Private Jack Foster. Before we get to personal details concerning Jack Foster and his service in the army, we have to understand what World War One was.

World War One was a devastating world-wide war, with millions of casualties coming as a result of it. The war was triggered by the assassination of Franz Ferdinand (Archduke of Austrio-Hungary), and two sides fought with each other in the war. These were the Allied Powers (Great Britain, France, USSR), and the Central Powers (Germany, Austrio-Hungary, Ottoman Empire). It started on the 28 July 1914, and Australia pledged allegiance to Great Britain and officially entered the war on the 4th of August 1914. People such as Jack Foster enrolled to be in the army everywhere around Australia, and they were soon sent to foreign lands for war. The war officially ended on the 1 November 1918, marking the end of a deadly, and cadaverous period.

Jack Foster was born on the 9th of December, 1898 in Balmain, NSW. Before enrolling and being enlisted into the army, he worked as a labourer. Jack did not have any previous military service before enrolling, as he was previously too young to do so (Jack was 18 years of age and the date of enrolment). Jack’s next of kin at the time of enrolment was his sister, Ms R.Greenless who resided at 2 Dick-street, Balmain. Apart from that, not much is known about Jack Foster’s family except from the fact that both of his parents were deceased at the date of enrolment. (Australian Defence Force, 2017)

No other information is known about Jack’s family, including if he had any other siblings.

Jack enlisted in the army on the 22nd of January, 1917 in Maitland, NSW. He embarked on the HMS Boorara on the 10th of May, 1917 from Melbourne. Jack disembarked the HMS Boorara on the 20th of June, 1917, in Isamailia, Egypt. There, he served in the 6th Light Horse regiment, although he was documented to have served in the 2nd Light Horse Regiment for a month in Egypt.  (Australian Defence Force, 2017)

From disembarkation, he was admitted to Moascar Isolation Camp, which was essentially their hospital. He was at Moascar for two months before joining the 6th Light Horse regiment. Then, starting in the September of 1918, Jack suffered a malaria attack that lasted until the start of 1919. This resulted in constant visits to Moascar for illness, effectively ruling Jack out of actually fighting for the army. Nevertheless, Jack Foster survived his service in Egypt, and  embarked the HMS ‘Madras’ on the 27th of June, 1919, back to Australia. Jack Foster disembarked the ‘Madras’ on the 3rd of August, 1919. (Australian Defence Force, 2017)

It is unlikely that Jack actually served much in the front line against the Central Powers, as the casualties log show no, if any reports of injuries, especially from gunfire. Also, the amount of documented times Jack was shown to have visited Moascar probably meant that he spent the most of his time in the Hospital.

Quite soon after disembarking in Australia, he was discharged from Her Majesty’s Forces on the 2nd of October, 1919.  (Australian Defence Force, 2017)

The primary sources used in the historical inquiry of Jack Foster’s records stopped, with the last document listing the date in which Jack Foster was discharged, and the medals he received for his efforts, which can be found at  (Australian Defence Force, 2017). As a result of that, it is unknown what he did after the war, but Jack presumably went back to Dungog, NSW where he previously resided or Balmain, NSW where his sister resided. It is also unknown when and where he died, but other secondary sources collected by others such as: (AIF Project 2017) (Virtual RSL 2017) on Jack Foster have stated that Jack Foster died in 1945 due to Illness. Although unconfirmed, it is thought that Jack Foster was buried in his place of birth, Balmain NSW. This is thought to be the case as putting a soldier’s body/ashes in his hometown is a common tradition and practise, if he did not die in action like Jack Foster.

Overall, Jack Foster was just one of many that enrolled and enlisted into Her Majesty’s Services. He likely did not serve much in the frontline, but he performed his job and served his country. However, Jack Foster will not go down as another regimental number in the historical records. This biography on the life of Jack Foster is just one of the ways that his life will be documented, and commemorated by many.

Bibliography:

Australian Imperial Force-Nominal Roll (Extended)
https://www.awm.gov.au/images/collection/items/ACCNUM_LARGE/RCDIG1066988/RCDIG1066988--225-.JPG (Accessed 21st of March - 29th of March)

National Australian Archives
Attestation Paper: Jack Foster
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Gallery151/dist/JGalleryViewer.aspx?B=4024588&S=1&N=19&R=0#/SearchNRetrieve/NAAMedia/ShowImage.aspx?B=4024588&T=P&S=1 (Accessed 21st of March - 29th of March)

National Australian Archives
Enrolment Application: Jack Foster
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Gallery151/dist/JGalleryViewer.aspx?B=4024588&S=1&N=19&R=0#/SearchNRetrieve/NAAMedia/ShowImage.aspx?B=4024588&T=P&S=11 (Accessed 21st of March - 29th of March)

National Australian Archives
Casualties Form
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Gallery151/dist/JGalleryViewer.aspx?B=4024588&S=1&N=19&R=0#/SearchNRetrieve/NAAMedia/ShowImage.aspx?B=4024588&T=P&S=15(15 through to 18)(Accessed 21st of March - 29th of March)

National Australian Archives
Jack Foster Status
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Gallery151/dist/JGalleryViewer.aspx?B=4024588&S=1&N=19&R=0#/SearchNRetrieve/NAAMedia/ShowImage.aspx?B=4024588&T=P&S=19  (Accessed 21st of March - 29th of March)

The AIF Project
Jack Foster
https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=102088&printFormat=print
(Accessed 21st of March - 29th of March)

RSL Virtual War Memorial
Jack FOSTER
https://rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au/explore/people/203984
(Accessed 21st of March - 29th of March)