A potted history of Major George Frank Osborne, MM and bar.
Whilst I realise this is mainly about Second World War stories, George Osborne was a career soldier who served in both World Wars, so forgive me if I start at the beginning!
George Frank Osborne was born in Walworth, South London, in 1898. He joined the Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment on 6th September 1912, aged 17 years and 7 months. He was posted to the 1st Battalion.
When war broke out in 1914, the battalion was one of the first to be shipped to France, landing in Le Havre in early August 1914. At that time, the battalion strength was 998 men. By the end of the first week in November 1914, there were only 32 survivors of the original 998. George Osborne saw action at Mons, Marne, Aisne, Ypres, Aubers Ridge, Loos on the Somme, Festubert, Hindenburg Line, Bellecourt, Broodseinde, Passchendale and Arras, and saw heavy fighting. On 21st September 1914, he was wounded, sustaining an injury to his right arm, and on 26th September 1915, he sustained a second wound, this time a gunshot wound to his leg.
On 17th September 1917, at the rank of Sergeant, he was awarded the Military Medal for "Bravery in the face of the enemy". On 21st October 1918, he was awarded a bar to his Military Medal (a bar is a second award). The battalion was finally taken out of the line in November 1918. Of the original 998 men who left for France in 1914, only 17 men of all ranks survived the war! Between August 1914 and Armistice 1918, the battalion lost 5 Commanding Officers, 2 Majors, 61 Company Officers and 1133 NCOs and men killed in action. When considering these figures, bear in mind that this was only one battalion. The Queen's Regiment alone provided 25 battalions, and many of these suffered far more casualties.
Between the wars, he served in Hong Kong and China, Malta, and Allahabad. On August 16th 1936, George Osborne was discharged to Commission, meaning he was promoted to an officer.
He went on to serve throughout the Second World War, and was present when Belsen concentration camp was liberated. At the end of the war, at the rank of Major, he became a civilian officer with the Control Commission, and helped oversee the division and running of West Berlin. Unfortunately, details of his Second World War exploits and awards were destroyed during a bombing raid, and so, I need to spend time in Surrey, at the Regimental Museum, reading through the war diaries to find out more.
He died at home on 15th April 1947 having fought in and survived two World Wars.
