Killed a month after being sent to battle
EIGHTEEN year old Charlie Forster was working for Cramp Brothers Coachbuilders in Harrington St, Hobart, when he enlisted for war service in January 1918.
He was the sixth child of Thomas and Annie Forster who ran a shop on the corner of Davenport and Bayley St, Glebe, before it moved to the corner of Park and Bishop streets in New Town.
Charlie was a former student of the Elizabeth Street State School and had spent four years in the cadets. The family was living at 11 Bell St (now Bayley St), Glebe, when he joined up.
Just before his 19th birthday he embarked for England on HMAT Nestor with 1555 men and 20 nurses.
While at sea he wrote a long letter in diary form, including a vivid description of the Panama Canal and the voyage up the east coast of North America. During this time he celebrated his 19th birthday and won two cigars.
On arrival he was soon sick in hospital in England with tonsillitis before joining his unit in France in late August 1918.
He was killed in action in France just a month later, falling at Jeancourt on September 23, 1918.
Private Charles Walter Forster is remembered at tree No. 123 on the Soldiers’ Memorial Avenue as well as on the Elizabeth College honour roll, Hobart Town Hall and at the Swan St church.