Pte 58081 Robert Ernest Foden

• Age: 29
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• D.O.W Sunday 24th November 1918
• Commemorated at: Mont Huon Cem Le Treport
  Panel Ref: X.B.5B

Robert Ernest Foden was born on 26th April 1889 in Liverpool, the son of George Edmund Foden and his wife Eleanor (nee Sharp). He was baptised at St Cleopas Church, Liverpool on 23rd June 1889. His father's occupation is shown as a painter and the family address was given as 4 Balkan Street. 

His father died in 1900.

The 1901 Census finds the family living at 12 Palmerston Drive, Litherland. His mother, now a widow is the head of the household, she is 33 years of age and was born in Newcastle. Robert is 11 years of age and he has two siblings in the property. His elder brother George E. aged 13 and born in Liverpool and his younger sister Eleanor B. who is aged 8 and was born in Sunderland. There are also four boarders in the property. 

His mother remarried in the first quarter of 1908 to William Spence.

There is no sign of Robert on the 1911 Census. His mother and her husband William are present alongside Robert's sister Eleanor Foden. Robert may well have been away at sea as he survived the sinking of the Luisitania in May 1915.

He enlisted in Manchester in originally joining as Private 4313, Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry. Following a transfer he was serving with the 18^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 58081 when he died of wounds on the 24th November 1918, aged 29.

A family notice was placed in the press on 30th Nov 1918

DIED OF WOUNDS

FODEN - November 24, died of wounds at Le Treport in his 29th year, Private ROBERT ERNEST FODEN, King's (Liverpool) Regiment (late D. O. L. Y.), dearly loved youngest son of Mrs Eleanor Spence, 20 Ferndale Road, Waterloo.

FODEN - November 24, died of wounds at Le Treport in his 29th year, Private ROBERT ERNEST FODEN, King's (Liverpool) Regiment (late D. O. L. Y.), the dearly loved fiance of C. Edith McKenzie, Foresters Arms, Kingskettle, Fifeshire N.B.

[His fiance Caroline Edith Mackenzie is found on the Fife Electoral Roll from 1920 at the Forresters Arms. As Pte Foden was a victualler/waiter on the Lusitania one can assume Caroline worked on the ship and romance ensued.]

He now rests at Mont Huon Cemetery, Le Treport, France where his headstone bears the epitaph:

“PEACE SHALL FOLLOW BATTLE NIGHT SHALL END IN DAY” 

This is taken from the Hymn "Christian, Doth Thou See Them"

During the First World War, Le Treport was an important hospital centre and by July 1916, the town contained three general hospitals (the 3rd, 16th and 2nd Canadian), No.3 Convalescent Depot and Lady Murray's B.R.C.S. Hospital. The 7th Canadian, 47th and 16th USA General Hospitals arrived later, but all of the hospitals had closed by March 1919. As the original military cemetery at Le Treport filled, it became necessary to use the new site at Mont Huon. There are now 2,128 Commonwealth burials of the First World War in the cemetery and seven from the Second World War. The cemetery also contains more than 200 German war graves. The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.Soldiers Effects to Mrs Margaret Trodden, Pension to mother Eleanor Spence(she died 11th Apr 1923)

Probate records show the following:

Foden Robert Ernest of 20 Ferndale Road, Waterloo near Liverpool. Private 18th Battalion King's Liverpool Regiment died 24th November 1918 in France. Probate, Liverpool 28th December to Margaret Trodden (wife of Hugh Trodden) £53 11s.   

(His mother was born in Newcastle, which is the only connection with Hugh and Margaret Trodden who lived in Hebburn, Newcastle) 

Robert is commemorated on the following Memorials:

St John's Church, Waterloo, Liverpool

Seaforth and Waterloo (Five Lamps, Crosby Road North)
 
A full list of the Lusitania survivors who were later lost in the war has kindly been provided by David Bohl to whom we are grateful:

1916 August 12th Marichal, Mr. Joseph Phillibert Rene (II) 39 Hemwood, France. KIA

1917 January 4th Finucane, Private Noel (crew) 26. KIA
1917 March 27th Nixon, Mr. Harold (crew) 40. Lost onSS Thracia
1917 April 2nd Wordsworth, 2nd Lieutenant Osmund Bartle (II) 29. KIA. Calais, France was missing but announced Nov. 2021 he's been identified. His skeleton was found by a French farmer in 2013. The grave artefacts, research and DNA enabled him to be identified.                                                                        

1917 April 2nd Hebden, Private Robert (III) 37. Calais, France KIA
1917 August 21st Rossiter, Mr. Laurence (crew) 33. Lost on SS Osloout of Hull
1917 October 15th Gardner, Lance Corporal Eric Clarence (II) 21 KIA
1917 October 31st Duguid, Private George Davie (II) KIA
1918 February 2nd Jones, Captain Arthur Rowland (crew) 38. Lost onHMT Avanti
1918 May 27th Pells, 2nd Lieutenant Cyril Elmore (II) 27 KIA
1918 August 7th Mosley, Major George Gordon (I) 33 Died of illness in India
1918 September 9th Wallace, Lieutenant Cyril John George (II) 22 KIA
1918 November 7th Griffiths, Lieutenant Christopher William (II) 35. Died of wounds received Oct 29th
1918 November 24th Foden, Private Robert Ernest (crew) 29. DOW

1918 June/July  James Haldane (II)

We currently have no further information on Robert Ernest Foden. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.