Pvt. Arthur John Foster # 772351 was born to on August 29, 1898 in London, England. His sister was Miss Nellie Foster who later became Mrs. Ellen Hunt of Brantford, ON.
Pvt. Foster enlisted on Dec. 9, 1915 in Brantford at the age of 19 and was assigned to the 125th battalion . He was 5’6, 35” chest, 119 lbs, single, brown eyes and brown hair. He listed his sister, Miss Nellie Foster who lived with Annie MacPherson of Stratford, ON as his next of kin, listed his occupation as farmer and his religion as Methodist. His $15 per month pay went to his sister originally at 146 Market St. Brantford, ON and later RR#5 Brantford, ON . On August 2, 1918, he wrote a will leaving everything to Mrs. R.H. (Ellen) Hunt of Brantford, ON. His medals and decorations went to his sister but plaque and scroll were returned due to having no parents.
It is quite possible that he is one of the Dr. Barnardo `Home Boys` who sailed from Liverpool, England to Quebec City, Quebec in 1909, onboard the S.S. Tunisian, along with his nine year old sister Ellen (Nellie), Destination - Stratford, Ontario.
Pvt Foster arrived in Bramshott, England on Aug 18, 1916 on the SS Scandinavian with the 125th battalion and was assigned to the 1st battalion on Oct. 11, 1916 and went to France. On May 4, 1917, he was wounded and was sent to the 30th General Hospital due to a gunshot wound to his elbow. On May 26, 1917, he was discharged to Rest Camp. On June 6, 1917, he returned to the Field as a prisoner. A week later, he was sentenced to two weeks of prison for defacing the wall of a tent while on active duty. On August 8, 1917, he was sent to the hospital for an illness for a couple days. On Sept. 4, 1917, he was admitted again to the hospital for another gunshot wound to his elbow. On Nov. 5, 1917, he returned to the field again.
On Feb 16, the 1st battalion relieved the 13th battalion at Hill 70. On Feb 18, at 3:20am, the Germans launched gas shells at the British Front Line where the 1st battalion was located. At 4:30am, intense artillery fire with trench mortars were launched at the front line. Due to intense machine gun fire, the wiring party was unable run a communication line so a SOS rocket was launched. Within 12 minutes, friendly artillery fire started and everything stopped at 5:10am where the situation became normal again. Pvt Foster was the only person killed in this exchange.
Pvt Foster died Feb 18, 1918 in the trenches near Loos, France at Hill 70 while with the 1st battalion. He was buried in the Aix-Noulette Communal Cemetery just outside of Lens, France, grave reference II.A.5. The Cemetery Extension was begun by French troops early in 1915, and the two French plots are next to the Communal Cemetery. It was taken over by the 1st and 2nd Divisions in February, 1916, and used by fighting units and Field Ambulances until October, 1918. It was increased after the Armistice by the concentration of graves from the battlefields to the East. There are now 749 Commonwealth burials of the 1914-1918 war commemorated here, 61 being unidentified. There are also 502 French burials here. The cemetery covers an area of 5,198 square metres and is enclosed by a red brick wall on three sides, and on the South by the wall of the Communal Cemetery. He is commemorated on page 409 of the Book of Remembrance.
Pvt. Foster enlisted on Dec. 9, 1915 in Brantford at the age of 19 and was assigned to the 125th battalion . He was 5’6, 35” chest, 119 lbs, single, brown eyes and brown hair. He listed his sister, Miss Nellie Foster who lived with Annie MacPherson of Stratford, ON as his next of kin, listed his occupation as farmer and his religion as Methodist. His $15 per month pay went to his sister originally at 146 Market St. Brantford, ON and later RR#5 Brantford, ON . On August 2, 1918, he wrote a will leaving everything to Mrs. R.H. (Ellen) Hunt of Brantford, ON. His medals and decorations went to his sister but plaque and scroll were returned due to having no parents.
It is quite possible that he is one of the Dr. Barnardo `Home Boys` who sailed from Liverpool, England to Quebec City, Quebec in 1909, onboard the S.S. Tunisian, along with his nine year old sister Ellen (Nellie), Destination - Stratford, Ontario.
Pvt Foster arrived in Bramshott, England on Aug 18, 1916 on the SS Scandinavian with the 125th battalion and was assigned to the 1st battalion on Oct. 11, 1916 and went to France. On May 4, 1917, he was wounded and was sent to the 30th General Hospital due to a gunshot wound to his elbow. On May 26, 1917, he was discharged to Rest Camp. On June 6, 1917, he returned to the Field as a prisoner. A week later, he was sentenced to two weeks of prison for defacing the wall of a tent while on active duty. On August 8, 1917, he was sent to the hospital for an illness for a couple days. On Sept. 4, 1917, he was admitted again to the hospital for another gunshot wound to his elbow. On Nov. 5, 1917, he returned to the field again.
On Feb 16, the 1st battalion relieved the 13th battalion at Hill 70. On Feb 18, at 3:20am, the Germans launched gas shells at the British Front Line where the 1st battalion was located. At 4:30am, intense artillery fire with trench mortars were launched at the front line. Due to intense machine gun fire, the wiring party was unable run a communication line so a SOS rocket was launched. Within 12 minutes, friendly artillery fire started and everything stopped at 5:10am where the situation became normal again. Pvt Foster was the only person killed in this exchange.
Pvt Foster died Feb 18, 1918 in the trenches near Loos, France at Hill 70 while with the 1st battalion. He was buried in the Aix-Noulette Communal Cemetery just outside of Lens, France, grave reference II.A.5. The Cemetery Extension was begun by French troops early in 1915, and the two French plots are next to the Communal Cemetery. It was taken over by the 1st and 2nd Divisions in February, 1916, and used by fighting units and Field Ambulances until October, 1918. It was increased after the Armistice by the concentration of graves from the battlefields to the East. There are now 749 Commonwealth burials of the 1914-1918 war commemorated here, 61 being unidentified. There are also 502 French burials here. The cemetery covers an area of 5,198 square metres and is enclosed by a red brick wall on three sides, and on the South by the wall of the Communal Cemetery. He is commemorated on page 409 of the Book of Remembrance.