Foster, William George

No.1707 – Private William George Foster – 28^th Battalion AIF

William George Foster was born in Richmond Victoria on the 6^th May 1894 to Sarah and Frances George Foster. William was one of twelve children so it was a big move when the family went to live in Western Australia. Upon their arrival in WA they took up residence in Hubble St East Fremantle. William was educated locally and after leaving took up work as a labourer. He then went to live in Meekatharra with an older sister, Mrs. T Peart, where he worked in the mines.

On the 19^th June 1915, a month after having turned 21, William enlisted into the AIF in Meekatharra. He was passed as fit for service to the AIF with the medical examiner finding him to be 5 feet 10 & ¾ inches tall; weight of 162 lbs; chest measurement of 35 inches; dark complexion; blue eyes and dark brown hair. His religious denomination was Presbyterian.

From Meekatharra he was transported down to Blackboy Hill Camp (present day suburb Greenmount) where in July he was assigned to the 2^nd Reinforcements to the 28^th Battalion with the regimental no.1707. William did not train with this group in WA for long as on the 22^nd July 1915 he embarked from Fremantle Harbour on the H.M.A.T. “Demosthenes”. After arriving in Egypt in late August, the men were disembarked and sent to the training camp. The 28^th Battalion left Egypt in early September for Gallipoli but the 2^nd Reinforcements remained behind for another month. William was taken on strength of the 28^th Battalion at Gallipoli on the 12^th October 1915.

The 28^th Battalion were in the northern portion of the Anzac Battlefield, holding the line around the Apex and Rhododendron Spur. On the 7^th November William was evacuated to hospital with mumps, though was returned to duty on the 11^th November and stayed with the 28^th Battalion for the remainder of their time on Gallipoli. The 28^th Battalion returned to Egypt on the 10^th January 1916 and William remained with them in Egypt for the next couple of months.

On the 16^th March 1916 the 28^th Battalion, as part of the 2^nd Division, boarded troopships in Alexandria and set sail for France. Arriving at Marseilles on the 21^st March 1916, the men were disembarked and put on to trains for the journey to northern France. They went into the front line just to the south of Armentieres near Fleurbaix.

William’s stay in the line was not for long as on the 13^th April he was evacuated back to the 6^th Field Ambulance where he was diagnosed as suffering from Haemoptysis. William was transferred back to the 8^th Casualty Clearing Station and then the Australian Volunteer Hospital at Wimereux, suffering from Phthisis. He stayed in this hospital for three weeks and was then transferred across to England, where he was admitted to No.3 London General Hospital Wandsworth. Here he was diagnosed as unfortunately suffering from TB.

William was embarked for Australia on the 24^th June 1916 aboard the “Euripides”.

After his return to WA William was hospitalised at the Wooroloo Sanatorium and was discharged from the AIF on the 10^th July 1917. From the 11^th July William was granted a pension of 60/- per fortnight. William’s condition continued to deteriorate and he died on the 6^th March 1918 at Wooroloo. He was given a full military funeral at Fremantle Cemetery which was attended by family and veterans.