John Noel Forster
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
John Noel Forster was son of John George and Elizabeth Forster, born in Hartlepool, Co Durham in 1898. He had a younger sister, Dorothy. His father was a solicitor. The family moved to Awkley near Doncaster where Elizabeth Forster worked as a head teacher.
John enlisted at Doncaster on the 1st mar 1915 age nearly 20, for the duration of the war in the Royal Engineers. His occupation was recorded as engineer. His mother, who was living in Awkley, was his next of kin. He made an application to become a motor cycle dispatch rider with the Royal Engineers. He was posted to France and it was while he was there on the 12/4/1917, a fire started in one of the Dispatch Riders billets, which led to the eventual death of 4 Dispatch Riders, one of them being John Noel Forster. He died two days later on the 14th April 1917 in hospital at Etaples, from burns on the legs, hands and face. A Court of Inquiry followed, at the regimental H Q Chatham on the 8/5/1917 which was for the purpose into inquiring into the cause of a fire which caused the death of 4 Dispatch Riders
CWG additional information:- Son of John George and Elizabeth Forster, late of West Hartlepool. Buried Etaples Military Cemetery. Research by Colin Dannatt
