A NELSON COLLEGE BOY’S

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 12 August 1942, Page 3

A NELSON COLLEGE BOY’S

RECORD LIEUT. T. FOSTER—BARHAM Those who remember the late Thomas Foster-Barham may be interested to read the notice of his death that appeared in the April number of the j “Laxtonian,” the Oundle School maga- { zinc. It is as follows: j Born 19th October. 1919: entered Dry- | den House, January, 1935; left July, 1938: killed 17th February, 1942. At school Tom Foster-Barham achieved success in work and in athletics more by dogged determination and fighting quality than by natural gifts. He was a tremendous boxer and football player, but perhaps his I most remarkable display of sheer strength of will was in 1938, when he came in third in the Cross-Country I Run. His name appears on many | boards for football, running, shooting, j boxing and swimming. He gained school colours for boxing and shooting, was in the 2nd XV, had a splendid record in the 0.T.C.. and was a House prefect. In 1937, with Jim Mitchell. he cycled from the south of England to John o’ Groats, by way of Carlisle and the West Highlands, returning south by Inverness and Edinburgh. They camped out. carried all their kit, and averaged eighty miles a day. In 1940 he was in the London Scottish and by 1941 had his commission in the Black Watch, from which he was being seconded to the R.A.F., when he was killed while flying. He had just taken his “Wings” examination, passing top of the cadets. His commanding officer has written in high praise of his outstanding ability, his strength of character and fine influence. We remember him as a vivid and courageous character. His death is all the more tragic because his elder brother, a Lieutenant in the R.E.’s, died in 1930 as the result of a riding accident at Aldershot.. We extend our sincerest sympathy to his family in New Zealand. and particularly to his sister in England, who planned and encouraged his career with rare devotion.