Background
Private Howard Addington Foster was born April 22, 1876, in Fredericton, New Brunswick to Charlotte Farris and Charles Foster. According to records, Howard had 4 siblings named Fletcher, Judson, Charles, and Sheldon. By all accounts, the family appears to have remained in the Fredericton area up until and during the Great War, although Charlotte eventually lived in Gagetown after the war. Documents suggest Charles was a labourer in the area while Charlotte raised the boys and worked from their home. Although few records show details about his early life as a child in Fredericton, Howard eventually met a young woman named Mary Gray and together they married and started a family living at 217 Brunswick Street. Newspapers and census documents show that they had 9 children together, including Sheldon, Thurston, Shirley, Addison, Charles, Sarah, Margaret, Marian, and Lily. When war broke out in Europe, Howard’s attestation forms reveal that he had no prior military experience; however, his work as a labourer was likely appealing to the CEF. On September 7, 1915 he enlisted in Sussex with the 64th Battalion only to later transfer to the 104th. At the time of his formal enlistment, Howard was described as standing five feet ten inches, with a fair complexion, blue eyes, and brown hair. Along with his brothers, Fletcher, Judson, Charles, and Sheldon, as well as other Fredericton area boys, the Foster’s soon began training in preparation for going overseas. Although newspapers do not disclose his name, one important point to note is that one of Howard’s sons would also enlist and serve alongside his father and uncles. It is unclear if Howard ever saw Mary and his children again during the war. There would be approximately nine months before he left and during that time Mary gave birth to their last child, a girl named Marian.
Wartime Experience
On June 28, 1916, Private Howard Addington Foster left Halifax, Nova Scotia aboard the S.S. Olympic for Liverpool, England and arrived July 5. Upon arrival, Howard remained with the 104th in England over the summer and fall before joining the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles, November 29, landing in France a day later. Perhaps expecting hard times ahead, prior to leaving England Howard wrote his last will leaving everything to Mary. He had just arrived at the end of the Battle of Somme, a period in which there had been massive casualties for Canadians, the Allies, and for the Germans. Perhaps somewhat fortunate for Private Foster, he had arrived as a lull in fighting had just begun the winter of 1916-1917. Over the next year and a half, he remained with the 5th CMR at Vimy, Hill 70, and Passchendaele, as well as the German Spring Offensive of 1918. Described in the Daily Gleaner at the time as “the greatest battle in the history of world” Howard was with the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles near Boisleux-St.-Marc in late September 1918 when he received gunshot wounds to his legs and face. Immediately evacuated to number 38 clearing station, Private Foster’s wounds were too severe for medical assistance. According to his circumstances of death record, Private Foster passed away two days later, September 29, 1918, leaving behind nine children, brothers, and his wife, Mary. Less than a week after his death, newspapers quickly reported information on his passing indicating that he had been in hospital for two days of treatment before his untimely death. Howard was 42 years old at the time of his death.
Lest We Forget
Private Howard A. Foster is buried and remembered with honour at the Sunken Road Cemetery, located at Boisleux-St.-Marc, France. According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Howard is one of approximately four hundred and forty-four casualties at this cemetery.