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Ernest Thomas Foster
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 07/06/1890 |
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Place of birth: Ilmington, Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Last known residence: Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire, England, United Kingdom |
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Profession: waggonway-man |
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Religion: Church of England |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Lance Serjeant |
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Service number: 2133 |
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Enlistment place: Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 2nd Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 09/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Judge Copse, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 27 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 24 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Ernest Thomas Foster was born on 7 June 1890 and grew up in Ilmington, the highest village in Warwickshire, where he worked as a drayman on a farm. During the war, he enlisted in Birmingham and was taken an by the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, part of the 22nd Brigade in the 7th Division.
In October 1917, Ernest, now a Lance Serjeant with the battalion, was at the front in Flanders with the 2nd Royal Warwickshire. On 9 October 1917, the 7th Division took part in the Battle of Poelcapelle, a phase of the Battle of Passchendaele. The Division attacked with the 22nd Brigade from positions east of Polygon Wood towards the high-lying village of Beselare. The Brigade's attack was carried by the 2nd Hounourable Artillery Company on the right and the 2nd Royal Warwickshires on the left; the 9th Devons were in reserve. The 2nd Royal Warwickshires' task was to capture Judge Copse, near the hamlet of Reutel. The attack began at 5.20am and proceeded in total chaos. Reutel Copse had reportedly been passed by 7am. However, it soon became clear that the 2nd Royal Warwickshire's companies had advanced in complete disarray. Only isolated groups had reached their objective. Several companies had lost direction and most of the battalion had taken up positions near Reutel Cemetery without properly clearing Judge Copse. Heavy machine-gun fire from Judge Copse caused heavy losses to the 2nd Honourable Artillery Company. With Judge Copse still in German hands, the left flank of the entire brigade was threatened. During the afternoon, the 9th Devons were sent into the gap on the left. They had to clear Judge Copse. The fighting in the copse continued until nightfall and it was already dark when the 9th Devons finally cleared Judge Copse, securing all the 7th Divison's objectives. The Germans continued shelling the captured positions for the rest of the night, but no German counterattack developed and the positions were further consolidated the next day.
Lance Serjeant Ernest Thomas Foster, aged 27, was killed in action on 9 October 1917. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
In October 1917, Ernest, now a Lance Serjeant with the battalion, was at the front in Flanders with the 2nd Royal Warwickshire. On 9 October 1917, the 7th Division took part in the Battle of Poelcapelle, a phase of the Battle of Passchendaele. The Division attacked with the 22nd Brigade from positions east of Polygon Wood towards the high-lying village of Beselare. The Brigade's attack was carried by the 2nd Hounourable Artillery Company on the right and the 2nd Royal Warwickshires on the left; the 9th Devons were in reserve. The 2nd Royal Warwickshires' task was to capture Judge Copse, near the hamlet of Reutel. The attack began at 5.20am and proceeded in total chaos. Reutel Copse had reportedly been passed by 7am. However, it soon became clear that the 2nd Royal Warwickshire's companies had advanced in complete disarray. Only isolated groups had reached their objective. Several companies had lost direction and most of the battalion had taken up positions near Reutel Cemetery without properly clearing Judge Copse. Heavy machine-gun fire from Judge Copse caused heavy losses to the 2nd Honourable Artillery Company. With Judge Copse still in German hands, the left flank of the entire brigade was threatened. During the afternoon, the 9th Devons were sent into the gap on the left. They had to clear Judge Copse. The fighting in the copse continued until nightfall and it was already dark when the 9th Devons finally cleared Judge Copse, securing all the 7th Divison's objectives. The Germans continued shelling the captured positions for the rest of the night, but no German counterattack developed and the positions were further consolidated the next day.
Lance Serjeant Ernest Thomas Foster, aged 27, was killed in action on 9 October 1917. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
Sources 6
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2 Royal Warwickshire Regiment (The National Archives, Kew (TNA) WO 95/1664/3). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 372). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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Buxton G.W., Time To Remember, The Journal of Lance Sergeant William Webb October 1914-January 1916, 2nd Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment Seventh Division 1914-1918, (Solihull, Helion Company Limited, 2016) 169. Sources used |
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Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG14). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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Kingsford C.L.,The Story of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment (Formely the Sixth Foot), (London, County Life, Ltd, 1921) 172. Sources used |
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McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account (London: Unicorn Publishing Group, 2018) 118-119. Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1632270 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/2518665 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=5c7c781f-8847-471b-a9e3-1e8a4e4d1352 |