Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Thomas Mawson Forster, known affectionately as Tom, was the only son of Thomas Forster and Sidney Anne Mawson, he had one elder and one younger sister. His father Thomas Snr was born in 1864 at Edmundbyers, County Durham, his future wife at Bay Bridge, District of Hexham, Northumberland, in 1858 and baptised October 17th. They were married in 1891, daughter Mary Hannah was born, March 3rd 1894, Tom 1895 and Victoria May Margaret Annie May 8th 1897 at Bay Bridge, either just prior or just after the death of Thomas Forster Snr during the 2nd quarter (Apr/May/Jun) 1897. Sidney Anne and her children were taken in by her parents, innkeeper Thomas Mawson and Mary Hannah, in order to increment the family income Sidney Anne became a dressmaker for her own account and by 1911 Tom (19) was employed as a general labourer.
After the outbreak of war he enlisted, exact date unknown, as Tom Mawson Forster and probably due to experience with the Territorials was assigned as Private 28016 to the 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers of the Regular Army. The first wave of men had departed attached to the 9th Brigade, 3rd Division, landing at Le Havre, August 14th 1914. The 1st Battalion remained on the Western Front for the entire duration of WW1, Private Forster joined his regiment post January 1916. He may have participated during the Battles of the Somme where the division was in action in the opening phases at the Battle of Albert, Bazentin Ridge and Delville Wood July-September and at the closing Battle of the Ancre in November 1916. They then moved to the Arras sector seeing action during the Battles of Arras, April 9th-May 16th 1917 before returning to the Somme in March 1918 after the Germans attacked once again on that front, seeing action at the First Battles of the Somme, Battle of Lys, Second Battle of the Somme and the Battles of the Hindenburg Line in 1918 at the Battle of Amiens.
Private 28016 Tom Mawson Forster fell during the Battle of Amiens, September 19th 1918, which began as of August 8th 1918 later known as The Hundred Days Offensive concluding with the Armistice of November 11th 1918.
His sacrifice is recorded as one of 9,830 names inscribed on the Vis-En-Artois Memorial, Pas de Calais, France, south-east of Arras, which forms the backdrop to the cemetery of the same name, commemorating those who fell as of August 8th during the Advance to Victory in Picardy and Artois between the Somme and Loos, who have no known grave. Private T. M. Forster was 26 years of age and single.
His mother Sidney Anne received all monies due to him from the Army, his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal also a pension of 13 shilling 6 pence a week as of February 27th 1919, sent to her at Bay Bridge, Blanchland.
Sidney Anne Forster nee Mason died in 1931 aged 72-years registered in the district of Hexham, Northumberland.
Neither of her daughters married, in 1939 Mary Hannah and Victoria May Forster were living with their widowed grandmother Mary Ann Mawson at Bay Bridge with no apparent means of support.
Victoria May Margaret Annie Forster (69) of The Square, Blanchland, died September 21st 1966, effects in the sum of 1022 pounds to her sister Mary Hannah Forster. Her sister of 4, Burswell Avenue, Hexham, Northumberland died age 80-years, December 8th 1974, effects in the sum of 9252 pounds to persons unknown.
With the death of Thomas Mawson Forster this branch of the family ceased to exist.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Tom Mawson Forster is remembered at Blanchland on B40.01
