John Ernest FOSTER

Regimental number6859
Date of birth15 September 1892
Place of birthBrown Hill Creek, Mitcham, South Australia
SchoolPublic School Public School, South Australia
ReligionBaptist
OccupationGardener
AddressWaverley Street, Upper Mitcham, South Australia
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation23
Height5' 8.5"
Weight153 lbs
Next of kinMother, Mrs Fanny E Foster, Waverley Street, Upper Mitcham, South Australia
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date1 June 1915
Place of enlistmentKeswick, South Australkia
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name8th Infantry Brigade, 8th Field Ambulance Sections B and C
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A11 Ascanius on 10 November 1915
Rank from Nominal RollDriver
Unit from Nominal Roll15th Field Ambulance
Recommendations (Medals and Awards)

Military Medal


Not awarded.
Recommendation date: 16 October 1917

Mention in Despatches


Not awarded. Congratulatory Card issued; promulgated in Australian Military Order, No 11, 12 January 1918.

FateKilled in Action 10 August 1918
Place of death or woundingAmiens, France
Age at death25.11
Age at death from cemetery records25
Place of burialVillers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery (Plot X, Row D, Grave No. 5), Fouilloy, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
182
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: Arthur and Fanny E. FOSTER, Waverley Street, Mitcham, South Australia
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Found guilty, serapeum, 6 January 1916, of being absent from 10.30 am till 12 noon parade: awarded 2 days' confined to barracks.

Transferred to 15th Field Artillery Brigade, Tel el Kebir, 24 February 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 9 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 28 June 1916.

Remustered as Driver, 3 September 1916.

Admitted to 15th Field Ambulance, 3 December 1916; discharged to duty, 10 December 1916.

Found guilty, 19 July 1917, of being absent from his post whilst on picquet duty, 19 July 1917: awarded 7 days' Field Punishment No 2.

On leave to the United Kingdom, 9 August 1917; rejoined unit from leave, 22 August 1917.

'Army Corps commander expressed appreciation of gallant services rendered during recent operations', 31 October 1917.

Found guilty, 5 March 1918, of while on Active Service contravention of 4th Army Standing Order No 1082, namely, trotting a horse on paved roads: admonished.

On leave to Paris, 28 July 1918; rejoined unit from leave, 7 August 1918.

Killed in action, 10 August 1918 (shrapnel wound, abdomen).

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, FOSTER John Ernest