ok ▁post - grad uate ▁studies ▁in ▁London ▁from ▁ 1 9 1 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 1 3 . ▁He ▁married ▁Florence ▁Ch ish ol m ▁in ▁Well ington ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 1 4 . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War ▁he ▁served ▁with ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁captain ▁as ▁an ▁army ▁sur geon ▁on ▁the ▁hospital ▁ship ▁Mah eno . ▁He ▁returned ▁to ▁New ▁Zealand ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁ ▁Before ▁the ▁war ▁F oster ▁had ▁played ▁one ▁first - class ▁cr icket ▁match ▁for ▁Well ington ▁while ▁working ▁in ▁the ▁hospital ▁there . ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁he ▁opened ▁the ▁batt ing ▁for ▁Can ter bury ▁and ▁made ▁ 3 1 ▁and ▁ 1 3 ▁when ▁Can ter bury ▁beat ▁Well ington ▁to ▁reg ain ▁the ▁Pl unk et ▁Sh ield ▁in ▁Well ington . ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁he ▁was ▁selected ▁to ▁play ▁for ▁Can ter bury ▁against ▁Well ington ▁in ▁Christ ch urch . ▁During ▁the ▁first ▁day ' s ▁play , ▁while ▁Well ington ▁were ▁batt ing , ▁he ▁was ▁called ▁away ▁to ▁perform ▁an ▁ur gent ▁surg ical ▁operation ▁in ▁Wa ik ari , ▁a ▁small ▁town ▁north ▁of ▁Christ ch urch . ▁As ▁F oster ▁had ▁neither ▁batt ed ▁nor ▁bow led , ▁the ▁Well ington ▁captain ▁allowed ▁a ▁full ▁substitute , ▁and ▁Harry ▁Whit ta ▁took ▁his ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁Can ter bury ▁team . ▁It ▁was ▁F oster ' s ▁last