Corporal Horace Arthur Foster 888040 born 2 January 1894 in Kamsack, Sioux Falls, Haha County, South Dakota. Father and mother Frank and Ida Foster, Invermay, Saskatchewan. Maternal grandfather of Keith Meredith. Single, a Baptist, Steam Engineer and Brodgeman by trade. Horace stood 5′ 9″ tall, 165 pounds, with dark complexion, brown eyes and hair, scar right leg and hand. Major H G McKean approving.
Private Horace Arthur Foster attested with the 188th Battalion, CEF on 11 January 1916 at Kamsack, Saskatchewan, Canada (a town in the Assiniboine River Valley, where the Whitesand River joins the Assiniboine River).
188th Battalion, CEF
Organized in February 1916 under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel S J Donaldson. and later mobilized at Prince Albert, and recruited in Prince Albert, North Battleford, Battleford, Radisson, Lloydminster, Humboldt, Kelliher, Kamsack, Yorkton, Melfort and Tisdale. The unit with Private Foster then embarked from Halifax 13 October 1916 aboard SS OLYMPIC. And, later disembarked England 19 October 1916 with a strength of 32 officers, 1004 other ranks. Later, drafts of 400 to 28th Battalion and 100 to 46th Battalion in November 1916., and a draft of 50 to 46th Battalion in December 1916. Furthermore, absorbed by 15th Canadian Reserve Battalion on 4 January 1917, and disbanded by Privy Council Order 2019 of 27 July 1917. Perpetuated by The Yorkton Regiment.
Private Horace Arthur Foster admitted at Camp Hughes on 6 June 1916 (diptheria), and later discharged on 10 August 1916 with a complete recovery – Horace stated this was measles upon his discharge from service.
Pvt Horace Arthur Foster embarked from Halifax, 13 October 1916 on SS OLYMPIC, later arriving Liverpool on 19 October 1916.
Private Horace Arthur Foster appointed Acting Corporal at Westenhanger on 15 November 1916, with Private pay.
France
Acting Corporal Horace Arthur Foster reverts to Rank of Private at Westhanger in order to proceed overseas, 30 November 1916.
Private Horace Arthur Foster transferred to the 46th Batalion 30 November 1916, and later joined his unit on 12 December 1916, spending six months on the Western Front.
46th Battalion
Organized in February 1915 under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Hubert Snell, and later mobilized at Moose Jaw, and recruited in Moose Jaw, Regina, Weyburn, Estevan and Arcola. Then, a draft of 5 officers and 250 other ranks sent to England on 5 July 1915. With a smaller draft sent to England on 4 September 1915. Later, embarked from Halifax 23 October 1915 aboard LAPLAND, and later disembarked England 30 October 1915 with a strength of 36 officers, 1115 other ranks. Later, disembarked in France 10 August 1916 with the Canadian Division, 10th Canadian Infantry Brigade, and reinforced by 19th Canadian Reserve Battalion. Finally, returned to England 27 April 1919, and disembarked in Canada 4 June 1919, and demobilized 9 June 1919. Finally, perpetuated by The King’s Own Rifles which was redesignated 20th Saskatchewan, and Armoured Regiment in 1946 and, in 1954, The Saskatchewan Dragoons.
Pvt Foster transferred to 16th Canadian Machine Gun Company, 19 February 1917.
16th Canadian Machine Gun Company
Organized in Floringhem, Belgium on 27 December 1916 under the command of Captain E. W. Sansom, and later personnel added from the 73rd, 75th, 87th and 102nd Canadian Infantry Battalions of the 4th Canadian Division. As well, from the 10th, 11th, and 12th Canadian Machine Gun Companies. Then, the 10th, 11th and 12th Canadian Machine Gun Companies were detached from their respective infantry brigades on 1 September 1917. And, with the 16th Canadian Machine Gun Company, formed the 4th Canadian Divisional Machine Gun Battalion. Finally, reorganized in March 1918 to form the 4th Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps.
Private Horace Arthur Foster admitted No. 7 General Hospital (advertis cervical ), Etaples, on 29 March 1917.
Private Horace Arthur Foster later transferred to England via H S NEWHAVEN on 5 May 1917
Pvt Foster admitted North Evington Military Hospital on 6 April 1917 (advertis cervical – abcess neck) and later discharged and transferred to Epsom on 4 May 1917. Finally, discharges as fit from the Canadian Division, Convalescent Hospital, Woodoote Park, Epsom on 9 May 1917.
Marriage
Horace granted permission to marry at public expense, Seaford, 29 April 1918. Private Horace Arthur Foster admitted at Seaford for old wound of right thigh on 25 June 1918.
Private Horace Arthur Foster taken on strength, C.M.G.D., Crowborough, 19 November 1918 and to be Acting Corporal with pay. Then, Corporal Horace Arthur Foster attached to C.D.D., Buxton for return to Canada, 22 March 1919.
Corporal Horace Arthur Foster later discharged on 1 May 1919 in St John, New Brunswick, having arrived aboard SS CORSICAN.
Finally, Horace Arthur Foster died on 5 May 1923 of tuberculosis at Fort Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan – his death attributed to his War Service.
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