Photo: Brian Chandler
In St.Mary’s Churchyard is a family headstone which reads:
To the memory of my husband
Andrew Foster
jeweller of Morpeth,
who died March 3rd 1936, aged 69 years.
Jane Foster,
wife of the above
who died November 16th 1950 aged 83 years.
also Bert, younger son, fell in action
September 15th 1916, aged 22 years
Joseph Little, elder son, died at
Brisbane, Australia,
May 9th 1935 aged 43 years.
Morpeth Herald 29/09/1916 carries an obituary:
COY.-SERGT.-MAJOR BERT FOSTER
Last Friday morning Mr and Mrs Andrew Foster, jeweller and watchmaker, Bridge Street, Morpeth, received the sad news that their younger son, Company-Sergeant-Major Bert Foster, Northumberland Fusiliers, had been killed in action in France on the 15th September by a machine gun bullet. He would have been 22 years of age on Tuesday last.
Sergt.-Major Foster was an old Grammar School boy, and was successful in winning a scholarship at the school. After leaving school he went into the business of his father as a watchmaker and jeweller, where he was for six years.
He was three years in the Territorials and belonged to a group who had volunteered for special service. In 1914, four days before the declaration of war – while he was preparing to go with St James’ Sunday School annual excursion to Newbiggin – he was called up for military duty to guard the cable station on the coast. For many months he was engaged in that work with his comrades.
Seventeen months ago he went to France with his regiment, the Northumberland Fusiliers, where he did some useful work as an observer and sniper. While in France he received his last promotion, being made Company-Sergeant-Major. He declined to entertain the idea of a commission, thinking his services as company-sergeant-major more valuable to his country. Always keen on his military duties, he was and looked a splendid specimen of a British soldier.
Before the war he used to teach in St James’ Sunday School, play the accompaniments for the hymns, and assist with the savings bank. He was for some years a member of the YMCA and well known on the bowling green. His nice disposition made him very popular amongst his many comrades and acquaintances.
His only brother (Joseph), who was in Australia when the war broke out; joined an Australian regiment, and after service in Gallipoli has been in France. The two brothers have not seen each other for eight years, and although they have each tried very hard to do so, they never succeeded.
Great sympathy is felt for Mr and Mrs Foster in their bereavement.
Bert Foster is remembered at Morpeth on M17.01, M17.06, M17.09, M17.12, M17.18, M17.29 and in the Battalion History
