Hugh Murray FORSTER - Major - King's Own Scottish Borders

[phil1963]

Ladies and Gents, Any info on when this casualty served will be welcome as there is little out there,although he was the son of a Baronet. He was born in Newcastle and had business connections with Argentina. He is listed on the war memorial at Sutton in Surrey. Hugh Murray Forster

Major, King’s Own Scottish Borders.

Died September 16^th 1915, age 32.

Buried in Noeux-Les-Mines Communal Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.

[sotonmate]

Service record,but not yet digital:

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1081733

Wounded and died at the Battle of Loos,began 25 Sep 1915. SDGW gives died of wounds 28 Sep 1915.

8 KOSB were part of 46 Infantry Brigade of 15 Division,which had the highest casualties at this battle. You can read an account from the LLT here:

http://www.1914-1918.net/bat13.htm

[phil1963]

Many thanks. Excuse my ignorance, but if the service record is not yet digital, does this mean that it cannot be checked without a visit to Kew??

[sotonmate]

Yes,needs a read in situ. Send me a PM in a couple of weeks if you can't get to see it and I will photo the relevant bits,sometime during the second half of Nov.

[Banstead100]

I walked into Banstead Cricket Club this morning to see if they would put up a flyer for our WW1 commemoration services (on the 100th anniversary of each local man's death) and got chatting to the club secretary. He showed me their Roll of Honour board (hidden behind a folding door!). Many of the names were familiar but one I had not come across... H M Forster. I was heading to the National Archives today anyway so I grabbed a copy of his file (WO 339/27825) and Medal Index Card.

 

Although CWGC gives his date of death as 26th September 1915, his file shows 28th so Hugh will be commemorated at All Saints, Banstead, on Wednesday 28th September 2016 (as we didn't know about him in time to commemorate him on the 100th anniversary in 2015). The churchyard flag will be flown at half-mast all day, his story will be displayed locally and a commemoration service will be held at 11:50am, during which a bell will be tolled 100 times at noon. By strange coincidence, we will be commemorating Bryan Paull, the only other Old Carthusian from Banstead or Burgh Heath, 2 days later.