Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Francis (Frank) Foster was born at Wardley Colliery, near Gateshead, County Durham in 1892, one of 10 children, 5 sons and 5 daughters. His father Joseph Thomas Foster born 1855, native of Wrekenton, Gateshead, married Catherine Ann Fenton born 1857 at Jarrow, in 1875 in the district of South Shields, Northumberland. Joseph Foster and family lived at 1, Sunderland Terrace, Heworth in 1891, where he and his eldest son Robert (13) were employed as coal miners. By 1901 Robert had left home and Joseph was the only male breadwinner, his eldest daughter Charlotte Ann (21) helped her mother run the home, Margaret (19) and Florence (16) worked at home as a dressmaker and milliner. Aged 18 years Frank had joined his father at the colliery as a brake-man, younger brother John (15) was a trapper, they were still living at Sunderland Terrace but had moved to number 12.
On the outbreak of war Frank enlisted at Newcastle-upon-Tyne assigned as Private 18225 to the 11th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. His military record no longer exists, one of the 70% destroyed during the blitz of WW2, however, the 11th (Donegal and Fermanagh) Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers was formed at Omagh in September 1914, from the Donegal and Fermanagh Volunteers. The Battalion was attached to the 3rd Brigade, Ulster Division until November 2nd 1914 when it was renamed 109th Brigade, 36th Division. The men trained at Dufferin and Ava Estate at Clandeboye, County Down and in July 1915, moved to Seaford, in Sussex and then to France in early October 1915. The 36th Ulster Division are most famous for their action on the 1st of July 1916, when they were one of the few Divisions to reach their objective. The front lines were at the edge of Thiepval Wood, they crossed about 400 yards of No Man's Land, entering the Schwaben Redoubt, (close to where the Ulster Tower stands today) then advancing on towards Stuff Redoubt. The men held out for the day but as their stocks of bombs and ammunition dwindled, they were forced to fall back. The 36th Division sustained over 5,000 casualties in total that day.
Private 18225 Frank Foster Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers is deemed to have died in action, “on or after”, July 1st 1916 as no trace could be found of him. His sacrifice is recorded as one of the 72,246 names of servicemen from the United Kingdom and South Africa inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Thiepval, France, commemorating those who fell on the Somme 1915-1918 and who have no known grave. He was 24 years old and single.
His father received all monies due to him and his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to him at 12 Sunderland Terrace, Wardley, County Durham.
Joseph Thomas Foster died in 1939, aged 84, his wife Catherine Ann Foster nee Fenton’s death preceded that of her husband, she had died aged 66 years in 1923, both registered in the district of Gateshead, County Durham.
Frank’s family is listed in the census under the name of Foster as well as Forster, the latter has been used on the memorial at St. Mary Heworth.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Heslop’s Local Advertiser 15/05/1917, giving his name as "Forster" reports:
Private Frank Forster, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, reported missing July 1st 1916, now reported killed, aged 23 years. Son of Joseph and Catherine Forster, Wardley Colliery.
Frank Forster is remembered at Wardley on W97.01 and at Heworth on H92.03
