Orders, Decorations and Medals

Four: Leading Seaman Alfred Foster, Royal Navy, killed in action, 8 November 1942, when serving aboard H.M.S. Walney in ‘Operation Reservist’ - part of the larger ‘Operation Torch’ - the allied landing in North Africa

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; War Medal 1939-45, all unnamed, extremely fine (4) £60-80

Leading Seaman Alfred Foster, Royal Navy, was killed in action, serving on the sloop H.M.S. Walney, 8 November 1942, aged 20 years. Having no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.

The sloop H.M.S. Walney, formerly the U.S.S. Sebago, was acquired by the Royal Navy as part of the ‘Lend-Lease’ agreement. The ship was utilised in ‘Operation Reservist’ - a plan to get allied troops into the port of Oran - this part of the larger ‘Operation Torch’ - the allied landings in North Africa.

On the morning of 8 November 1942, the Walney in company with the Hartland was conveying a mixed force of British and American troops into the North African port of Oran. Both ships came under heavy fire from Vichy French forces ships. The Hartland was sunk in ramming the boom defence; the Walney continued in alone but was overwhelmed by hostile fire and capsized. Of the ship’s compliment, five officers and 75 ratings were killed; of the troops being carried, very few made it ashore.

With named condolence slip and card medal forwarding box addressed to ‘Mr H. E. Foster, 97 Henderson St., Levenshulme, Manchester 19’.