Harold Luke FORSTER ³¹⁹

  General Notes:

Left for England under sail "before the mast" in mid 1890's, joined the British Merchant Marine and never returned to Australia. Involved in early flights with Gustav Hamel.
Captain in British Marine when appointed a Unit Commander in British Navy 1915, and with British Fleet in North Sea (Con's news clipping)
Interesting career in both World Wars. Pencilled notes of his exploits were made by Hilda and later transcribed by me.

  Death Notes:

Death registered Oct-Dec

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Naval commander and navigator. ⁵²

• Event: Proposed first flight across the Atlantic, May 1914. ³²⁰ HAMEL'S PROJECTED FLIGHT. (By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright.) (Received May 22, 11 a.m.) LONDON, 21st May. M. Gustav Hamel, the French aviator, who is preparing to make a nonslop fly across tho Atlantic at the end of July, utilising a specially adapted Martinsyde monoplane of 200 horse-power, which will maintain a speed of 80 miles an hour, has decided to start from Belleisle, Newfoundland, and land in Ireland. Mr. Harold Forster, a Melbournian, and an officer of the Atlantic Transport Company, will accompany him as navigator.

• Military Service: Commissioned as Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve, 24 Jul 1915. ³²¹

• Honours: Distinguished Service Cross, 22 Feb 1918. ³²² Awarded to Lieut. Harold L. Forster R.N.R. for services in action with enemy submarines

• Honours: Croix de Guerre, 14 May 1918. ³²³ Awarded to Lieut. Harold L. Forster, D.S.C., R.N.R. by The President of the French Republic for services in connection with hostile sm convoy duties.

Harold married Clara Maude POPERT, daughter of Charles James Ernest POPERT and Susan, on 5 Dec 1914 in Leyton, Essex, England.¹⁴⁰ (Clara Maude POPERT was born in 1886 in Leyton, Essex, England and was christened on 28 Mar 1886 in Leyton, Essex, England.)