2/5 Australian General Hospital

Pte William 'Tich' Foster

NX 28792  

William Joseph Foster, better known to his mates as ‘Tich’, was born on the 30 July 1918, probably in Paddington or Glebe, Sydney.

 

Little is known of his earlier days of school, work or growing up, but we do know that on 6 June 1940, at the age of twenty two, and at the advent of World War 2,  Tich enlisted in the AIF and was assigned to the 2/5 Australian General Hospital.

 

On the 19 October 1940 the 2/5 AGH embarked on the Queen Mary bound for overseas duty. With the Queen Mary was the Aquitania and the Mauritania, and the HMAS Perth as the assigned escort.

 

The first Port of call was Bombay, and after a few days here they boarded the President Doumer which was a Free French ship, bound for the Middle East.

 

In early April 1941, the Unit had established a 1200 bed hospital at Ekali, Greece.But due to the rapid advancement of the German Army, the unit was to be evacuated, leaving 167 personnel to care for the wounded.

 

On the 27 April 1941, the German Army overran the Hospital, and these people became Prisoners Of War. Tich was one of these men

 

He was to remain a prisoner of war until 10April 1945, and on this date was liberated by the advancing American Army. Unfortunately while endeavouring to help wounded troops, he was killed by friendly fire, and is buried in the Neederweet War Cemetry, Holland.

 

His was the Ultimate sacrifice

LEST WE FORGET

 

Acknowledgment:

The photo and information was given by his Cousin, Dorothy Wilson, with permission to copy and reproduce on the 2/5 AGH Memorabilia Disk and the Unit Website