Name
Harry Foster
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
13/02/1916
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
18314
Bedfordshire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LA BRIQUE MILITARY CEMETERY NO.2
I. S. 25.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin War Memorial,
Hitchin British Boys' School Memorial, Hitchin,
St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin,
We are not aware of any Charlton memorial
Pre War
He was born in Hitchin and attended Hitchin British Boys' School. Later he worked for George Anderson a farmer at Charlton near Hitchin.
His home was with his parents Mr and Mrs G. Foster of 8(?21), Kershaw's Hill, Hitchin. His wife was Mrs L. Foster. They had no children. At the time of his death his ·wife seems to have been living in Brixton although another probably later record shows her address as Mid Village, Arlesey in Bedfordshire. He enlisted in Charlton.
Wartime Service
Harry was given the Regimental Number 18314. He was in the 8th Battalion of the Bedfords and was killed in action in Belgium.
He was asleep in a trench when he was killed by a shell. He had only arrived two days earlier. At the time of his death, the 8th Bedfords were in the 6th Division and on the afternoon of the 12th February 1916 heavy shelling with both smoke and gas began along the front which was to the right of the Moraldje Salient near Ypres.
The attacks which followed were mainly aimed at Divisions nearby.
He was buried in Plot 1, Row S, Grave 25 in La Brique Military Cemetery No. 2, St. Jan in Belgium. A private inscription on his headstone reads “Peace perfect Peace".
Additional Information
His older brother, George, died of wounds later in the war.
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild