Ancestor Details
Ancestor's Name: Ernest George Foster
Ancestor's date of birth: 28/06/1873
Ancestor's date of death: 1954
Cause of Death: Old age
Service and Life Before the Boer War: Stockman and farmer
Service Number: 148
Colony or State of enlistment: NSW, Place of Enlistment: Kensington
Unit: B Sqn New South Wales Citizens' Bushmen
Rank attained in Boer War: LT, Date Effective: 08/05/1901
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): No evidence of post Boer War service.
Murray Page: 78, 123
Contingent: Third and Fifth New South Wales.
Ship: Maplemore or Atlantean, Date of Sailing: 28/02/1900
Other Boer War Service: When the NSWCB were withdrawn, he stayed in South Africa, joining the 3rd NSWMR, serving till cessation of hostilities.
Memorial details: Buried in the Gosford area.
Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Rhodesia, Orange Free State and Transvaal clasps; King's South Africa Medal with South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902 clasps.
Personal Characteristics: Bushman, patriotic, loyal.
Reasons to go and fight: Adventure.
Details of service in war: April 1900 - April 1901 with the NSWCB in Rhodesia, west Transvaal including defence of Elands River Post (4-16 August 1900), and in northern Transvaal, great De Wet hunt (February - March 1901) and advance on Petersburg. promoted sergeant major 19 October 1900. April 1901 - April 1902 with 3 NSWMR in Free State and East Transvaal including Boer breakthrough at Langverwacht (24 February 1902). Commissioned Lieutenant 18 May 1901.
Service and life after the Boer War: Stayed in Africa and purchased a farm under the Milner scheme until returning to Australia in 1926 where he became a dairyman in Gosford
Descendant Details
Name of Descendant: Robert Clive Pankhurst, Somersby NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Grandson
