Welsh Journals

Search over 450 titles and 1.2 million pages

F. B. Foerster A Unique Abergavenny Resident Cyril E. Feldwick Had you walked down Cross Street in Abergavenny a few years prior to the First World War, and paused outside number 34 (now The Old Copper Grill) you would have been looking at "The Sporteries", Angling Specialists, and had you entered you would probably have been greeted by a tall and handsome gentleman of splendid physique, marred only by the fact that he had lost his right eye. His knowledge and skill at many country sports was widely known, especially the sport of Angling, and he wrote articles for The Fishing Gazette and other periodicals under the nom de plume of "Sabreur". If you had known him well enough to ask why he used the name "Sabreur", and how he suffered the misfortune of losing an eye, he might have told you something like this. His name was Feodor Bonander Foerster, and his father and grandfather were Austrian officers. It was therefore natural that after he left school in Manchester he should want to choose the Army as a career. Joining the 2nd Life Guards in the mid 80s of the last century he became an enthusiast of the sword and all forms of physical fitness including boxing. After about three years service he had become a sergeant, and regimental instructor in fencing. In 1893 he attracted the attention of Colonel Fox, Inspector-General of Gymnasia in the Army, who furthered his training in fencing, resulting in his becoming a staff instructor at the central gymnasium with the rank of Staff Sergeant. In the next few years he distinguished himself in every event he entered, carrying off first prizes in sabres, foils, bayonet v bayonet and lance v bayonet. At the Royal Military Tournament over three successive years he won three events thrice in succession, with a total of ten prizes in the three years. Never before had this record been achieved, and a special gold medal was struck for presentation to this young soldier who had so splendidly maintained his supremacy at arms against all comers. At this point a most distressing disaster occurred. While the last of his victorious tournaments was still in progress, he was giving some last minute advice to some of the officers whom he had trained when the blade of a foil whipped round and struck him in the right eye, causing such damage that it was beyond hope and had to be removed. He described in his own words the closing scene in the tournament. "On the last day of the Tournament the prizes were given away by the Duchess of York. I obtained special permission to leave Guy's Hospital in order to be present at the distribution, although still unable to even open my left eye. Blind and bandaged, I was led in by two officers and