Born.1

Military.2,3

Lieutenant
Line Battalions, 18th - The Royal Irish

Military.3

Captain
Royal Irish Regiment

Military in Egypt.3

Nile Expedition
1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment

Married Frances Kate Mary BEAL in India, Naini Tal.14,12,15

From the Obituary of J. B. Forster in the Times :-
"Major-General Forster was married three times: ... and in 1898 to Frances Kate, eldest daughter of the late Mr. E. Wallis Ridley Beal."

Details from the Marriage Register :-
Methodist Episcopal Church of Naini Tal
Groom - John Burton Forster, Full age, widower, Lieut. Col. Royal Irish Regt. / Mehero Rajputana
Bride - Frances Kate Mary Beal, full age, spinster, teacher, Naini Tal
Father of the groom - Late Capt. J B Forster, Wiltshire Regiment
Father of the bride - E Wallis R Beal, 27 Canonbury Park, London
Register 23 Aug 1898

From the Morning Post :-
"On the 11th ult., at Naini Tal, Kymson, India, by the Rev. J. L. Humphrey, Lieutenant-Colonel John Burton Forster, 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment, to Frances Kate Mary, eldest daughter of E. Wallis R. Beal, of 27, Canonbury-park North, London, N"

Birth of daughter Ione Patricia Burton FORSTER.13

World War 1.4,5

Major General - Staff

Address given :-
3 Trefusis Terrace, Exmouth

Military in France.4,5

Theatre of war first served in
Major General, Staff Corps, Commanding 57th WL Div.

Memorial in Holt, Old Cemetery.11

"B 23 Jul 1755 Maj Gen GB Col 18th Royal Irish Regt. Big Game Hunter Artists Author Turner"

Obituary.12

From the Times :-
"Major-General J. B. Forster; soldier and hunter of big game.
Major-General J. B. Forster, C.B., who had a long and distinguished record of service in the Royal Irish Regiment, died on Monday at St. Bride’s, Alumhurst Road, Bournemouth, at the age of 82. He was an officer of wide and varied accomplishments. In his time he achieved a considerable reputation as a hunter of big game in the Himalayas, Ladak, and Western Tibet; he wrote well on many subjects; he painted; he was a keen yachtsman; and he was possessed of considerable mechanical skill.
John Burton Forster came of a military family, for he was the grandson of Colonel T. W. Forster, of the 24th, now The South Wales Borderers, and the only son of Captain J. B. Forster, who was in the 62nd; now the 1st Battalion, The Wiltshire Regiment. Born on July 23, 1855, he went to Wellington before passing into Sandhurst as a Queen’s Cadet, and was gazetted lieutenant in the Royal Irish in November, 1872. As a subaltern he was with the 1st Battalion in the Khyber Line force during the Second Afghan War, 1879-1880. Promoted captain in February, 1881, he commanded a company in the Nile Expedition of 1884-85 when the 1st Royal Irish won Lord Wolseley’s prize for the best passage of the Nile. Captain Forster’s mechanical ability was of particular value during this operation, for he attended personally to the boat repairs, receiving special mention in Lord Wolseley’s congratulatory order.
He was adjutant of the 3rd Battalion for five years from January, 1886, being promoted major in February, 1889. When the 2nd Battalion joined the Kurram-Kohat Force during the North-West Frontier troubles of 1897-98 he was second-in-command, and succeeded to the command as lieutenant-colonel in December, 1897. In February, 1901, h was promoted colonel, and selected for a staff appointment in India, serving as Assistant Adjutant-General at the Headquarters of the Bengal, afterwards Eastern, Command for five years. During that period he officiated as Deputy Adjutant-General, Bengal, and in command of the Allahabad Brigade. His next appointment was Brigadier-General commanding the South Irish grouped Regimental Districts (subsequently No. 12 District, Irish Command), which he held from May,1907, until June, 1908, being promoted to major-general in March pf the latter year. He went out to India again in April, 191, to command the Quetta Brigade of the Southern Army, returning to England in September,1913.
After the outbreak of the Great War he was appointed to command the 1/1st (later 55th) West Lancashire Division of the Territorial Force, and when, towards the end of 1915, the division was broken up preparatory to its reorganization in France, he assed to the command of the 2nd-Line Division. He was retired in July, 1917, and made a C.B., receiving a special meritorious service pension. In April, 1918, he became Colonel of the Royal Irish Regiment, which he reviewed in May, 1922, delivering a farewell address, before its disbandment. His book, “The Sportsman’s Vade Mecum to the Himalayas,” is of considerable value, and he has contributed many articles to the Press on sport, hobbies, and mechanics.
Major-General Forster was married three times: first in 1878 to the daughter of the late Mr. Herbert Manders: in 1884 to Olive, youngest daughter of the late Mr. John Sergent, of Newcastle: and I n 1898 to France Kate, the eldest daughter of the late Mr. E. Wallis Ridley Beal. He leaves two sons and two daughters.”

Died in Bournemouth (Alumhurst Road).8,9,10

From the Times :-
On Monday, June 13, 1938, at St. Bride's, 31 Alumhurst Road, Bournemouth, MAJOR-GENERAL JOHN BURTON FORSTER, C.B., Colonel of The Royal Irish Regiment, in his 83rd year.

Probate in London.10

Portrait in National Portrait Gallery.6

John Burton Forster (1855-1938), Major-General.
Sitter in 1 portrait
Half plate nitrate negative
By : Lafayette (Lafayette Ltd) (founded 1880).
Place : UK, Dorset (sitter's home), St Bride's, Almhurst Road, Bournemouth
Date : 3 November 1932
Ref No : NPG x48382

Who was Who.7