FOSTER, Robert James
| Service Number: | 410 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 16 September 1914, Enlisted in Sydney, NSW |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 6th Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Walcha, New South Wales, Australia, 1888 |
| Home Town: | Uralla, Uralla, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Wounds, Palestine, 6 November 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Beersheba War Cemetery, Israel and Palestine (including Gaza) Row A, Grave 11 Rev. H.K. Gordon officiated, |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Uralla Presbyterian Church Roll of Honour, Uralla St. David's Presbyterian Church |
World War 1 Service
| 16 Sep 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 410, 6th Light Horse Regiment, Enlisted in Sydney, NSW | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Dec 1914: | Involvement Private, 410, 6th Light Horse Regiment, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Suevic embarkation_ship_number: A29 public_note: '' | |
| 21 Dec 1914: | Embarked Private, 410, 6th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Suevic, Sydney | |
| 22 Sep 1915: | Honoured Mention in Dispatches, London Gazette on 5 November 1915, page 11002, position 14 Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 27 January 1916, page 156, position 46 | |
| 15 Oct 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 6th Light Horse Regiment | |
| 24 Nov 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 6th Light Horse Regiment | |
| 5 Aug 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Sergeant, 410, 6th Light Horse Regiment, Wounds to the face | |
| 27 Jul 1917: | Honoured Military Medal, London Gazette on 18 October 1917, page 10731, position 15 Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 14 February 1918, page 284, position 29 | |
| 6 Nov 1917: | Involvement Sergeant, 410, 6th Light Horse Regiment, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 410 awm_unit: 6 Light Horse Regiment awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1917-11-06 |
Help us honour Robert James Foster's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Carol Foster
Son of John and Jane Foster of Walcha, NSW
Husband of May Rose Foster nee Austin of 'Goldsworth', Uralla, NSW later of Cootamundra, NSW. Robert and May married during 1913c in the Armidale area, NSW. Father of Irene Foster and Jean Foster
Medals: Military Medal, Mentioned in Despatches, !914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Robert James Foster was the son of John and Jane Foster, of Uralla, New South Wales.
His younger brother, 3641 Pte. Leslie Vivian Clarence Foster 18th Battalion AIF was killed in action at Pozieres on 5 August 1916, aged 23.
Robert Foster, known as ‘Bob’ joined the 6th Light Horse in 1914. He was landed on Gallipoli during May 1915 with the rest of the Light Horse.
Robert James Foster was a brilliant soldier. He took part in a small attack made by the 6th Light Horse during July 1915. He was recommended for a Gallipoli bravery award, “For conspicuous gallantry at Holly Ridge on 12 July 1915. He carried back under very heavy shell, machine gun, and rifle fire, 452 Trooper Kenneth McGeorge Ronald, and then went back and brought in 612 Trooper Theodore Campbell Body, in conjunction with 352 Sergeant S.A. Tooth.”
(Ronald died of his wounds shortly after being rescued, and Body suffered severe shrapnel wounds to his face and a compound fracture of his leg, he was returned to Australia after treatment in England.) He was awarded a Mention in Despatches.
He was again recommended for ‘good work on the night of the evacuation from Anzac, 19-20 December 1915.’
Foster’s recommendation for Military Medal states, “This man was mentioned in despatches at Gallipoli for excellent work done on 12 July 1915. He did gallant work at Romani and has acted as troop leader for 10 months out of the last 14. On 18 July 1917 while the Squadron was out on patrol it was fired on heavily from a flank. He took a section out to try and locate the enemy’s position which he succeeded in doing, and although heavily fired upon, dismounted the section and was successful in dislodging the enemy by bringing enfiladed fire to bear on them in spite of the fact they were over five times his strength.”
His wife, May Rose Foster and children were awarded pensions and Foster left all his possessions to his wife. May Rose lived for 89 years and passed away during 1981. In his personal effects sent home, Bob Foster had a book called ‘Character’.