Philip was born in 1911 in Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada to Polish born parents Kadish Fenster and Rasha (Rose) nee Bloom and he had three sisters and a brother. When Philip was a student he worked as an apprentice plumber but was unable to join the plumbing union where he could earn increased wages, so he changed his name to Phil Foster and grew a moustache so that he appeared older. He took private flying lessons and became known as the ‘flying plumber,’ delivering plumbing supplies to the Northern mining districts of the prairies through his company the Hudson Bay Plumbing Company. He was heavily involved in the Rotary Club and bequeathed his money to them in his will. At the outbreak of war he enlisted into the RCAF but was frustrated at the length of time it took to be trained and travelled at his own expense to England where he hoped to travel on to Norway to join their air force.

Phil’s full story can be found on the link below.

Phil was the pilot of Blenheim Z6245 known as ‘Flin Flon Floosie.’ The aircraft departed from RAF Dyce in Scotland at 09.49 on a patrol of the north sea. The aircraft did not return and the bodies of Phil and the wireless operator John Murray Jamieson R/58352 were found later and buried in Egersund Churchyard. The observer Alfred Neil Briggs, J15116, was captured and became a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft L3 Sagan and Belaria.