John George FOSTER Private 3788, Durham Light Infantry & 35343, 22 nd (Service) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. Died 21 st March 1918. John George Foster was born in 1888 in Witton-le-Wear. At the time of the 1911 Census both he and his father James were sanitary pipe makers. John enlisted with the Durham Light Infantry and was later transferred to the 22 nd (Service) Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers. His DLI number indicates that he had been with the Territorial Army prior to the outbreak of war. He probably landed in France in January 1916. In March 1918 he was at Ervillers in northern France and took part in one of the bloodiest battles of the war. On the 21 st March the German army started their offensive trying to retake lost ground and make a final push for Paris. They launched an intense artillery barrage, and by the end of the day the allies had suffered heavy casualties and the village of Ervillers was completely destroyed. John George Foster was one of those casualties, and he is remembered on the Arras Memorial.

Remembering Our Fallen

Howden-le-Wear History Society