FOSTER, J

FOSTER, J

                                                          SS RAMAVA. Merchant Navy.

James was born at Darlaston in the summer of 1926, he was the son of James W Foster and his wife Minnie (nee Stokes). They had married in the 4th quarter of 1925.
At some point in World War II he joined the Merchant Navy and by July 1946 he was a seaman on the SS Ramava.

The SS Ramava was a Latvian ship that found itself in Ireland when The Soviet Union invaded the 3 Balkan states. It seems that the crew had no wish to hand the ship or themselves over to the Russians so they stayed in Ireland. The ship was handed over to the British Merchant Navy and served throughout the remainder of the war.

James died as a result of a swimming accident in the Miramichi river, Chatham, New Brunswick.
A newspaper report of the time says that he was swimming with some shipmates between 9.30 and 10pm and disappeared under the water.

James is buried in the Churchyard of St Paul’s Anglican Church, Bushville, New Brunswick, Canada.

 

It is a simple stone marking his grave, it bears the inscription.
JAMES FOSTER
DARLASTON ENGLAND
OF THE SS RAMAVA
DROWNED JULY 27, 1946

NOTES
At the time that the 1939 Register was compiled the family home was at 25a Eldon St, Darlaston.
James W Foster. Born 1900.
Minnie Foster. Born 1897.
James is blanked out.
Minnie Foster. Born 1928
……………………………………………..
Sadly for almost four years after his page was added to this site all it contained was
‘J Foster. World War II.’

In May 2018 I received a message from a lady in Canada asking if I knew anything of a James Foster of Darlaston who drowned in New Brunswick, Canada in 1946.
She remembered the accident and her parents going to his funeral, though they did not know him.
Within a week of her contacting me we had, between us, managed to find all of the information above.
I have been wondering who he was for 4 years, she has been thinking of him for 72 years.
Darlaston Remembers, Darlaston and I have a lot to thank this lady for; she never gave up on James!

.
Thank you to Joan Kelly Verge for keeping James’s torch alight for over 70 years!

WILKES, Alfred, Private.

WILKES, Alfred James, 19458, Private.

7th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment.

Born in Darlaston in 1883 the son of George and Agnes Wilkes.
Alfred James Wilkes married Clara Foster on the 13th November 1904 in Darlaston.

He enlisted at Ilkeston, Derbyshire as Pte, 23159, Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby) Regiment,

at some point he was transferred to the Northamptonshire Regiment.

He was first deployed to France on the 13th July 1915.

He was killed in action on the 31st July 1917 aged 34.

He has no known grave and is remembered on the Ieper (Menin Gate) Memorial.

Alfred was entitled to the 1914-15 Star, War Medal and Victory Medal.

NOTES.

At the time of the 1911 census Alfred was living with the Brother-in-law and sister at 4, Mitchell Terrace, Hallam Fields, Ilkeston, Derbyshire. He is listed as married for 6 years but his wife is not there.

Joseph Williams, H, 41.

Emma Williams, W, 38.

Charlie Williams, S, 11.

Vera Williams, D, 4.

Alfred Wilkes, Boarder, 28, Blastfurnaceman.

At the time of Alfred’s death Ieper was known as Ypres, but the troops gave it the name Wipers.

FOSTER, Alfred, Sgt

FOSTER, Alfred, 10500, Sergeant.

 

1st Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers.

He was born on the 30th June 1893 at Darlaston, he was the son of Richard S and Charlotte Foster (Nee Bourn).

 

He enlisted at Wednesbury and first arrived in France on the 6th October 1914.

He was killed in action on the 25th October 1916.

 

He is buried in Plot I. C. 8. Euston Road Cemetery, France.

 

Alfred was entitled to the 1914 Star with Clasp, War Medal and Victory Medal.

 

NOTES.

From the 1911 census we see that his home address was 17a, Alma St, Darlaston.

Alfred Foster. S (17) Heater in Nut & Bolt factory

Nellie Foster. D (19)

Richard S Foster. S (14)

(No parents shown living there)

 

By 1914 the family had moved to Fern Villas, Catherines Cross, Darlaston.

 

Alfred also served in the 2nd Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers at some point.

His brother Richard joined the South Staffs Reg’ reserves in April 1914 but was discharged on medical grounds in November 1914, heart disease.

PERKINS, James, Driver.

PERKINS, James, T2/015625, Driver.

 

17th Division Train, Army Service Corps.

Born in Darlaston in 1885. Married Elizabeth about 1909.

He enlisted at Darlaston and after training he was posted to France on the 20th December 1915.

James was killed in action on the 7th August 1916 aged 30.

He is buried in Plot V. H. 15. Bethune Town Cemetery,France.

His widow had the following carved onto his headstone. “As years roll on we miss him more.”

He was entitled to the 1915 Star, War Medal and Victory Medal.

NOTES.

The CWGC have his age at death as 35, I believe him to have been about 30.

At the time of the 1911 census the family home was 20, Foundry St, Darlaston.

James Perkin. H. 25. Machinist

Elizabeth Perkins. W. 22.

James Perkins. s 1.

Towards the end of 1918 Elizabeth married John E Kimbley and lived at 37, Catherines Cross, Darlaston.

ONIONS, George, Private.

ONIONS, George, 20528, Private.

8th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment.

He was born in 1889 in Darlaston the son of Samuel and Catherine Onions.

George may have married a Florence Fieldhouse in the summer of 1915.

He enlisted at Darlaston around November 1915.

Posted to France he was killed in action on the 2nd July 1916.

There is a Cross in Row C. of Gordon Dump Cemetery, France which carries George’s and about 12 other names, it also has the following inscription;

“Believed to be buried in this cemetery, Individual graves unknown.”

George was entitled to the War Medal and the Victory Medal.

NOTES.

In the 1911 census the family are living at 15a, Bilston St, Darlaston.

Samuel Onions. H (55)
Catherine E Onions. W (55)
George Onions. S (22) Riveter at Girder Works.
James Onions. S (20)
Edward Onions. S (18)
Emma Onions. D (16)

James Onions also joined the South Staffs Regiment; he was badly wounded and discharged in December 1916.

CORFIELD, Charles. Corperal

CORFIELD, Charles, 11544, Corporal.

8^th (Service) Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment.

He was born near to the end of 1887 at Darlaston, the son of John and Ann Corfield.

He enlisted at Wolverhampton

His first active posting was to France where he landed on the 4^th August 1915.

He was killed in action on the 7^th April 1916.

He is buried in Plot IX, G, 72, Citi Bonjean Military Cemetery, France.

Charles was entitled to the 1914-15 Star, War Medal and Victory Medal.

NOTES.

At the times of the 1891 and 1901 census the family was living at 26, Blakemores Lane, Darlaston. His mother is listed as a widow in 1901, the father having died when Charles was about 11 years old.

As yet I have been unable to find them in the 1911 census.

DAVIES, Samuel, Pte.

 

DAVIES, Samuel, 19623, Private.

 

2nd Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment.

 He was born at Bilston, Staffs.

In early 1913 Samuel married Sarah Ann Hunt at Darlaston.

 He enlisted at Bilston and was originally 25210, King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.

 He was killed in action in Mesopotamia on the 6th April 1916.

He has no known grave and is remembered on the Basra, Memorial, Iraq.

Samuel was entitled to the War Medal and Victory Medal.

NOTES.

At the time of his death Samuel’s address is recorded as Providence Cottage, Willenhall St, Darlaston. This was the family home of his wife.

His widow re-married in the summer of 1917 to Ralph Russell, 17, Short St, Wednesbury.

(Samuel may have been the son of George and Amelia Davies but this is to be confirmed.)

All 376 names recorded on Darlaston War Memorial have now been added to

DARLASTON REMEMBERS.

Each of them has their own page which can be searched for by typing the surname required into the ‘White brush-stroke’ at the bottom of the left-hand column.

Just type over the words ‘search this site’ and click on the black arrow.

 

There are 271 men on the WWI plaques.

264 Army.

4 Royal Navy.

1 Royal Marine.

2 Unknown service.*

 

There are 93 service men and women on the WWII plaque.

55 Army.

17 Royal Navy.

10 Royal Air Force.

11 Unknown Service.*

 

There are 12 civilians on the WWII plaque.

 The aim is to identify all those marked * and remove this category.

This site is not finished and will never be finished as long as further information is being found for all those who paid the ultimate price.

GREEN, George H, Pte

GREEN, George Henry, 14217, Private.

8^th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment.

He was born in 1884 at Darlaston and was the son of John and Grace Elizabeth Green.

He married Mary Elizabeth Phillips in the Spring of 1909.

He enlisted at Wolverhampton and was first deployed to France on the 14^th July 1915.

He died of wounds on the 17^th February 1916 aged 31.

He is buried in Plot II. C. 47. Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium.

His widow had the following inscribed on his headstone;

UNTIL THE DAY BREAKS

& THE SHADOWS FLY AWAY.

The cemetery contains 9,901 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, 24 being unidentified.

George was entitled to the 1914-15 Star, War Medal and Victory Medal.

 

NOTES.

At the time of the 1911 census he was living at 4 Court, 5 House, New St, Darlaston.

George Henry Green. H (26) Labourer at Bridge & Roofing works.

Mary Elizabeth Green. W (25)

Elsie Maud Green. D (1)

By the time of his death their home was at 48, New St, Darlaston.

DEVEY, James, Rfm

DEVEY, James, S/9563, Rifleman.

7^th Battalion, Rifle Brigade.

He was born in late 1897 at Darlaston the son of Joseph and Annie Devey.

He enlisted on the 9^th April 1915 at Darlaston and joined his unit at Winchester on the 13^th April.

He was first posted to France on the 22^nd September 1915.

He was killed in action on the 6^th February 1916.

He is buried in Plot I. U. 2. Essex Farm Cemetery, Belgium.

James was entitled to the 1914-15 Star, War Medal and Victory Medal.

NOTES.

At the time of the 1911 census the family live at 9, Factory St, Darlaston.

Joseph Devey. H (42)

Annie Devey. W (40)

Samuel Devey. S (14)

James Devey. S (13)

Joseph Devey. S (7)

Alfred Devey. S (5)

Arthur Devey. S (2)

This was still James’ address when he enlisted.