Major William Montague Arnaud FOSTER DSO
10th Duke of Cambridge's Own Lancers (Hodson's Horse), Indian Army

Date of birth: 7th April 1883
Date of death: 9th April 1953

Died aged 70
Unknown
William Montague Arnaud Foster was born at 5, Friends Road, Croydon in Surrey on the 7th of April 1883 the only son of William Victor Foster, Royal Medical Corps, and Alice Maud (nee Symons) Foster of 37, Medina Villas, Hove in Sussex.

He was educated at Hazelwood School until December 1896 where he was a member of the Football XI in 1895 and 1896 and of the Cricket XI in 1896. The school magazine wrote the following of his 1895 football season: - "Right half back, never came up to his last year's promise, has very little idea of timing the ball."

and this on his 1896 cricket season: -"A very stiff bat, wasting a lot of ill applied strength in his efforts to thump the ball. A good and improving fast bowler and useful field."

They wrote the following on his 1896 football season: - "A hard working centre half-back, and a good long shot."

On his leaving the school they wrote: - "..... joins the Hazelwood Colony at Wellington and will be heard of to advantage in and out of school. He may turn into a good fast bowler and also a good Rugby footballer."

He went on to Wellington College where he was in Mr. Brougham's House from January 1897 to 1900.

He went on to the Royal Military College Sandhurst and on leaving was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Somerset Light Infantry on the 22nd of October 1902. He transferred to the Indian Army as a Squadron Officer in the 10th Duke of Cambridge's Own Lancers on the 5th of October 1906 and was promoted to Lieutenant on the same date, to rank from the 22nd of January 1905. He was promoted to Captain on the 22nd of October 1911 and to Major on the 25th of March 1915. He served in France from 1914 to 1916 and was appointed as Brigade Major of 7th cavalry Brigade in 1916. He served in Mesopotamia from 1916 to 1918 and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, which was announced in the London Gazette of the 24th of August 1917. He served in the Afghan War in 1919 as Brigade Major of the 4th (Rawalpindi) Infantry Brigade and in Waziristan. He resigned his commission and retired from the army on the 12th of September 1921.

He was married to Katherine Maitland (nee Amphlett) on the 16th of September 1911 at St Columba's Episcopal Church, Kingussie in Inverness-shire. On the 15th of December 1920 his wife petitioned the court for the restoration of conjugal rights following his desertion from the family home. On the 18th of February 1921 she filed for the divorce on the grounds of his adultery with Mrs. Edith Iris White who he had cohabited with since the 11th of November 1919 at Great Chart, Ashford in Kent. A decree nisi was granted on the 7th of November 1921 and a decree absolute on the 15th of May 1922. He was remarried to Edith Iris (nee Reily formerly White) in 1922.

He died at La Limouzinineric, Bonnes, Viennes in France.
Went on to Wellington College

Back