Charles Foster was born August 14, 1916, the son of Cecil Horatio Foster and Matilda B. (nee Bartlett) Foster, of 221 North Mackenzie Street, Sarnia. Charles attended Central United Sunday School, later becoming an active member of the Church, and served as an usher. He would also be a carrier for the Canadian Observer in Sarnia for a time. He received his education in Sarnia public schools and Sarnia Collegiate, where he graduated after five years as a draughtsman. His hobby was the construction of glider planes with some of his pals, known as the “Pee Wee Glider Club.” Prior to enlisting, Charles was employed in a Sarnia grocery store.

Single at the time, Charles Foster enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in April 1940, and trained at the Galt Aircraft School as an airframe mechanic. He was then stationed at Toronto, followed by Trenton, and MacDonald, Manitoba. In November 1941, Charles would spend his furlough at his home in Sarnia with his family and friends. After returning to his unit, he would go overseas on the day after Christmas, December 26, 1941. Shortly after serving in England, he remustered to air crew and took further training at Ayr, in England, and Wales. He graduated as a Sergeant Flight-Engineer in January, 1943, and was attached to the RCAF #419 Moose Squadron “Moosa Aswayita” (Beware the moose), flying on Halifax bombers.

On March 28, 1943, Charles Foster’s Halifax aircraft BB283 went down near Escoublac-La-Baule during target operations on a Nazi submarine base at St. Nazaire, France. This was Charles Foster’s first operation. Perishing with Sergeant-Flight Engineer Charles Foster were FS.s R.M. McLeod, G. McGrath, R.F. Beckett; Sgt. J.J. Goldspink; and Sgt.s D. Ansley (RAF) and W.J.S. Boyd (RAF). In mid-April of 1943, parents Cecil and Matilda in Sarnia would receive a telegram from Ottawa signed by the R.C.A.F. casualty officer, informing them that their son Charles Foster, who had been previously reported missing, was now believed to have been killed in the course of a raid on a Nazi submarine base. Charles Foster would later be officially listed as, Previously reported missing after air operations, now for official purposes, presumed dead, overseas. Twenty-six year old Sergeant Flight Engineer Charles Foster is buried in Escoublac-La-Baule War Cemetery, Loire-Atlantique, France, Grave 2.G.2.

SOURCES: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, J, L, M, N, S, 2C, 2D