OSBORNE, Arthur Charles
| Service Numbers: | 321, 2855 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 6 August 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 15th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1 January 1881 |
| Home Town: | Mount Kilcoy, Somerset, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Illness, Military Hospital, Kangaroo Point, Queensland, Australia , 15 April 1918, aged 37 years |
| Cemetery: |
Toowong (Brisbane General) Cemetery, Queensland Plot: 10-42-12 |
| Memorials: | Kilcoy Honour Roll |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 321 | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Apr 1901: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 321, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 506 notes 6th QIB embarked at Pinkenba 4 Apr 1901 aboard Victoria arriving Cape Town 2 May 1901. | |
| 10 Jul 1901: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 321, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 6th QIB, Bk 2 p. 104, notes reported as a deserter and struck off strength on 10 Jul 1901. |
World War 1 Service
| 6 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2855, 15th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sep 1915: | Embarked Private, 2855, 15th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ayrshire, Sydney | |
| 1 Sep 1915: | Involvement Private, 2855, 15th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ayrshire embarkation_ship_number: A33 public_note: '' | |
| 16 Apr 1916: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 2855, 15th Infantry Battalion |
Narrative
Arthur Charles OSBORNE #2855 15th Battalion
Arthur Osborne was born in Melbourne and saw service in South Africa during the Boer War. By the time he presented himself for enlistment in Brisbane on 6th August 1915, he claimed to be 34 years old, a farmer of Mt Kilcoy.
Arthur was married to Margaret and they had an adopted daughter, Agnes. Arthur named Margaret as his next of kin. A little less than a month after enlisting, Arthur boarded the “Ayrshire” in Sydney as a reinforcement for the 15th Battalion. He allocated 4/- of his daily 5/- to his wife. On 12th October the reinforcements disembarked in Egypt. At that time, the 15th Battalion was on Gallipoli and Arthur joined his unit there on 13th November.
Three days after landing on the peninsula, Arthur reported sick to a field hospital and ten days later he was back in Egypt in the 3rd Australian General Hospital at Heliopolis. It was apparent that Arthur was not well, and had been so for some time. He complained of deafness and rheumatism as well as shortness of breath. The doctors at Heliopolis determined that Arthur had had these symptoms for some time, well before he enlisted. This begs the question, why if Arthur was so unwell did he enlist (the 4/- allocation to Margaret may be a clue) and how did he pass the medical back in Brisbane?
Since Arthur had spent considerable time in hospital in Egypt, it was decided to return him to Australia “for change.” This effectively meant that once he arrived back in Australia, he could be medically discharged. His illnesses were determined to be pre-existing.
Arthur arrived back in Brisbane and was discharged on 17th April 1916. He was granted a pension of 26 pounds a year and his wife and daughter received a combined 19 pounds and ten shillings. Arthur died in Brisbane on 15th April 1918. The records indicate that he was 37 years old at the time of his death but it is likely that he was much older. Arthur Osborne is not commemorated on the bronze plaques of the Australian War Memorial. His wife did however receive three service medals; 14/15 Star, Empire medal and Victory medal.
Submitted 6 March 2022 by Ian Lang
Biography contributed by Ian Lang
Arthur Charles OSBORNE #2855 15th Battalion
Arthur Osborne was born in Melbourne and saw service in South Africa during the Boer War. By the time he presented himself for enlistment in Brisbane on 6th August 1915, he claimed to be 34 years old, a farmer of Mt Kilcoy.
Arthur was married to Margaret and they had an adopted daughter, Agnes. Arthur named Margaret as his next of kin. A little less than a month after enlisting, Arthur boarded the “Ayrshire” in Sydney as a reinforcement for the 15th Battalion. He allocated 4/- of his daily 5/- to his wife. On 12th October the reinforcements disembarked in Egypt. At that time, the 15th Battalion was on Gallipoli and Arthur joined his unit there on 13th November.
Three days after landing on the peninsula, Arthur reported sick to a field hospital and ten days later he was back in Egypt in the 3rd Australian General Hospital at Heliopolis. It was apparent that Arthur was not well, and had been so for some time. He complained of deafness and rheumatism as well as shortness of breath. The doctors at Heliopolis determined that Arthur had had these symptoms for some time, well before he enlisted. This begs the question, why if Arthur was so unwell did he enlist (the 4/- allocation to Margaret may be a clue) and how did he pass the medical back in Brisbane?
Since Arthur had spent considerable time in hospital in Egypt, it was decided to return him to Australia “for change.” This effectively meant that once he arrived back in Australia, he could be medically discharged. His illnesses were determined to be pre-existing.
Arthur arrived back in Brisbane and was discharged on 17th April 1916. He was granted a pension of 26 pounds a year and his wife and daughter received a combined 19 pounds and ten shillings. Arthur died in Brisbane on 15th April 1918. The records indicate that he was 37 years old at the time of his death but it is likely that he was much older. Arthur Osborne is not commemorated on the bronze plaques of the Australian War Memorial. His wife did however receive three service medals; 14/15 Star, Empire medal and Victory medal.
Biography contributed by Claude McKelvey
Also served in WW1, Private S.N. 2855, 15th Infantry Battalion AIF.
When Arthur Charles Osborne enlisted in 1901 in the 6th QIB and his details were published with the rank and file in The Queenslander, 13 Apr 1901, he noted his N.O.K. as Miss C. Bell, Maryborough Boardinghouse, Wharf St, Brisbane. In the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 6th QIB, Bk 2 p. 104, it notes part of his pay was directed to a joint bank account held with Miss C. Bell. The paybooks also note he was struck off strength in July 1901 due to being reported as a deserter.
When he enlisted again at Brisbane in 1915 for WW1 he noted on his Attestation Form dated 6 Aug 1915 that; he was born in Melbourne, was 34 years of age and working as a farmer; he was married and his N.O.K. was his wife Mrs. M. Osborne, Mount Kilcoy; and he had previously served in South Africa with the 7th Contingent? Murray only records one Arthur Charles Osborne on the Boer War Nominal Roll serving in the 6th QIB.
Arthur Charles Osborne was born about 1881 at Melbourne, Victoria (based on WW1 records), a son to George Charles Osborne and Rebecca Osborne (nee Corkin) (based on Qld BDM death record). He married Margaret Bishop on 22 Apr 1908 in Queensland and they had 1 child (adopted). They lived in the Kilcoy area where he was involved in farming pursuits.
(AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 516; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks, Bk 2 p. 104).
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