Oscar John Henry Foote
Oscar was born in Penarth and baptised on 11th October 1893, the son of John, an engineer, and Emily (nee Wrey) of 12 Morristown. In 1911 he worked on a farm and lived at 14 Redlands Road with his father John and step-mother Annie Foote, brother Regenald and half-sisters Margaret, Lilian & Decima. Oscar served in 2nd Battalion, 2nd Company, the Grenadier Guards where his rank was Guardsman (service number 16847). He was killed when a shell landed close to a hut entrance, killing him and wounding 4 others on 7th July 1917. Oscar was aged 23 and is buried at I. A. 18., Canada Farm Cemetery. He enlisted several months before the outbreak of war and was in the first contingent sent to France. He spent 3 terrible winters in the trenches. Oscar is described as ‘a splendid soldier’ of ‘sterling worth and noble character’ with a ‘gay and kindly nature’. He was a Brigade Bomber and served 18 months as a Corporal but resigned his striped and refused to accept them again as they proved a barrier between him and the rank and file of his comrades. Attended Victoria School.