OSBORN, Harry
No. 240205, Private, Harry OSBORN (E)
Aged 26
3rd Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
Died of illness on Wednesday April 2nd 1919
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Born Q3-1892 [Bodmin 5c:67]) one of 12 children of Simon and Jane OSBORN (née ELLERY) of Littlewood, St Mabyn, Cornwall. 1901 census...At Dinhamsbridge, Cornwall were Harry [9] with his father Simon [49] labourer, born Egloshayle, his mother Jane [46] born St Mabyn, his brothers Joseph E [17] a labourer born Egloshayle, Fred [13] born St Mabyn and Tom [8] born St Mabyn, and his sisters Bessie A [14] and Ellen [5]. 3 elder sisters, Norah, Eliza and Avis and a brother William had already left home and brother Charles [10] died in 1900 1911 census...At "Retew", Grampound Road, Cornwall were Harry, his parents, brother Joseph and his wife Annie [27], brothers Fred and Tom and sister Nellie (Ellen). All now recorded as Bodmin born and all the men are clay pit workers. Just prior to the War he was employed by Lord St.Davids who owned Landwade Hall and Farm. He married Rosetta Whitaker, daughter of teachers Alfred and Sarah WHITAKER of School House, Oxford Street, Exning on September 27th 1918 in Aston, Birmingham ( where he was in hospital). |
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There are several sheets of his service medical record surviving. He was in the 5th Duke of Cornwall's Territorials from 1909-1910, leaving,it says, to move to
Suffolk. He enlisted in Bodmin, Cornwall on 29th Agust 1914, giving his occupation as "Footman", aged 22. His original number was 1937. He was sent to France
on 21st May,1915 and gained a good conduct badge on 6th July, 1917. He was invalided home on 6th July 1917 and was at Dudley Hospital from 30 Aug 1918 to 26 Oct 1918, from where he went to Bodmin Military Hospital until 18th November 1918. The pages relating to Brighton are missing. He was discharged as no longer fit for military service on 25th March 1919, and died of tuberculosis (from pension card) on April 2nd, 1919 at No.2 Eastern General Hospital, Dyke Road, Brighton. Harry's entry in "Our Exning Heroes" reads as follows: Osborn,H. Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Harry Osborn was born at Bodmin, Cornwall, on September 21st, 1896. He was educated at the Secondary School and took a leading part in the Scout Movement. He came to Exning in June, 1913 and was employed by Lord St. Davids. At the outbreak of the war he volunteered for active service and in the following year went out to France. He went through severe fighting on the Somme and also through the Cambrai fighting, and was slightly gassed on the Merville Front. At St. Quentin his battalion was completely cut off for four days, and he was the only man left in his platoon. In April, 1918, he had a severe attack of influenza, and afterwards developed dysentery through drinking polluted water, and finally was sent to the Dudley Road Hospital, Birmingham, where he began to make progress. On September 27th he married Rose, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Whitaker, and was marked A1 for service again. At Christmas, however, he developed lung trouble and was sent to the 2nd Eastern Hospital, Dyke Road, Brighton. His wife was with him till he passed away on April 2nd, 1919. He was interred at Exning Cemetery. He was esteemed by his officers, and was three times offered promotion. The Chaplain writes: "He was ready to go and had no fear of death; and I thank God for giving me the privilege of being called to help such a brave and gallant soldier." |
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