Photo: Derek Haynes

Derek Haynes has provided the following:

James was born March Q 1921 in the registration district of Sunderland, the only child of James & Theresa Foster (nee McVay). His parents married in the June Q 1920 in Sunderland. By 1939 his parents were residing at 29 Hawthorn Street, Sunderland and his father James was employed as a Miner. James Edward, now 18 years of age, was not at home with his parents, it could well be that by this time he had already enlisted into the R.A.F. There is also a closed record on the 1939 Register which could well be James.

I have been unable to find any service records for James but what is known is that he served as a Sergeant Air Gunner with the RAF Volunteer Reserve, service number 1558684.

On the 18th December 1944 James, aged 23 years, sadly lost his life as a result of an accident. Thanks to Kelvin Young for allowing me to use the information concerning the accident from his website www.aircrewremembered.com
Operation: Training
Unit: No. 3 LFS (Lancaster finishing school)
Type: Lancaster 1
Serial: R5674
Code: A5-K
Base: RAF Feltwell, Thetford, Norfolk
Location: Hockwald cum Wilton, Thetford, Norfolk
Pilot: P/O. Horace William Harler AUS/436325 RAAF Age 20. Killed
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Peter Aspinall 1623866 RAFVR Age 21. Killed
Nav: Fl/Sgt. Dennis William Harris 1580053 RAFVR. Age 23. Killed
Air/Bmr: F/O. Douglas Edwin Parsons 154808 RAFVR. Age 22. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt Percy Alfred Ewins AUS 19883 RAAF. Age 23. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Cyril Frank Farley 1594250 RAFVR. Age 19. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. James Foster 1558684 RAFVR. Age 23. Killed
Reason for Loss
Took off at 18:51 hrs. from Feltwell near Thetford, Norfolk on a general night flying training exercise – this was the final part of 63 training course and this night's training included air to air firing, circuits and landings at Waterbeach, Methwold and Tempsford.

On return to Feltwell several aircraft were on a circuit preparing to land when at 21:51hrs. two aircraft collided, crashing killing both crews of R5846 and R5674.

The body of James was returned to the family home and he was laid to rest on the 26th December 1944 in Section 2 Grave no. 583 of Southwick Cemetery. A CWGC headstone marks his final resting place.

Four years after burying his only son, James now had to deal with the death of his wife Theresa, aged only 53 years who died in Cherry Knowle Hospital, Ryhope in late December 1948. She was laid to rest on the 22 December 1948 in the same plot as her son.

I have so far been unable to identify a date of death for James the father.

James Edward Foster is remembered in Monkwearmouth on M46.02 page 39, where his service number is given as 1558684, and in Southwick on Wear by Peter Gibson

The CWGC entry for Sergeant Air Gunner Foster