FRANCIS JOHN FOSTER

23035 Private, 1st Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment

photo from the family of Stanley Bullivant, his step-nephew

died 10th December 1916 aged 22

Francis was born in Scotton, the son of George and Elizabeth Foster (nee Moxham).  He was baptised at St. Peter's Church on 24th June 1894 and his younger sister Florence Annie ('Flo') was born in 1899.

By 1901 the family had moved to Scotter and lived at 48 Gainsborough Road.  Their father was working as a farm labourer and became Superintendent of the Primitive Methodist Chapel's Sunday School.

Flo was a teacher at the Sunday School and became the second wife of Harry Bullivant.  She was now the step-mother to his son Stanley from his first marriage to Mary Evelyn Gurnhill who had died in 1940.  Flo lived until 1961 by which time she resided at Mill Hill, Scotter.  Stanley was highly educated and worked in the United States before moving on to New Zealand where he became emeritus professor at Auckland University.
 

When he was living back in Scotton, Francis went to Gainsborough and enlisted into the Army.

At the outbreak of war the Battalion were in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.  They landed at Southampton on 19th September 1914 and moved to France in the first week of October as part of the 22nd Brigade, 7th Division.

Throughout 1915 they took part in many important battles and in March they were involved in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle.

On 16th May they performed with great distinction in the Battle of Festubert.  The 22nd Brigade were chosen to lead the right-side assault on the German trenches, though heavy machine-gun fire caused many casualties forcing them to allow a 15 minute bombardment to take place.  After this they started moving again, with the South Staffords now part of the assault.  Despite incurring a large number of casualties, they succeeded in reaching the German front line and with the use of grenades soon worked along the trenches.

All of their objectives were achieved and they took further ground in the German trenches capturing at least 190 German soldiers.  The battalion itself suffered heavy casualties, with 261 officers and men being killed.

Trench warfare continued throughout the summer months and finally preparations were made for the attack on Loos of 25th September.  They were very heavily involved in the fighting and lost 70% of their men.  The attack was not a success, and therefore the Battalion was involved again in the latter stages on the attack on Hohenzollern Redoubt on 13th October.

At the end of October the Battalion was inspected by King George before returning to normal periods of trench warfare, training and the occasional sporting activities.

In December the 1st Battalion changed from the 22nd Brigade to the 91st Brigade and on 30th January 1916 they moved into the area Bray-sur-Somme and went into Reserve billets.

The 1st South Staffordshire's were in the Battle of the Somme and on the opening day, 1st July 1916, captured Memetz and fought with other units to hold Deville Wood. This was the most forward part of the British line.
 

Towards the end of that year, Private Francis Foster died in the 8th Stationary Hospital. The next day he was buried at the Wimereux Communal Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. The town was an important hospital centre so it is possible he died there from injuries sustained on the battlefield.
 

His family produced a memorial card which reads:-

 'Safe in his Father's home.

  His warfare is o'er, his battle fought,
  His victory won, though dearly bought;
  His fresh young life could not be saved,
  He slumbers now in a soldier's grave'