vernon osborne Posted 31 December , 2007 Share Posted 31 December , 2007 Corporal Arthur Gordon Osborne MM (a relative of mine) died of severe head wounds in France on 6th April 1918. My sister during a house move recently found the (original) hand-written letter from the hospital announcing his passing - and stating that "..we did all we could but in the end all we could do was pray with him". Corporal Osborne served with the 9th Battalion The Rifle Brigade during WW1 and was awarded the Military Medal - I do not know when nor why. His army number was S/16175 and he lies at St. Sever (extension) Rouen, France - very near to the military hospital where he was taken. He enlisted in Pimlico, London. I would be extremely grateful for any assistance from the Great War Forum with my research / information on the Corporal, his Battalion and in particular how and when he earend his MM. Thanking-you in anticipation. Vernon Osborne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralphjd Posted 31 December , 2007 Share Posted 31 December , 2007 Vernon, Hi and welcome to the forum, your relative is mentioned in the London Gazette issue number 30830 dated 6-8-1918 as being awarded the MM by the King. The actions in which MMs are won are not usually cited in the LG , best bet a war diary if you can find one for him. Regards Ralph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vernon osborne Posted 31 December , 2007 Author Share Posted 31 December , 2007 Vernon, Hi and welcome to the forum, your relative is mentioned in the London Gazette issue number 30830 dated 6-8-1918 as being awarded the MM by the King. The actions in which MMs are won are not usually cited in the LG , best bet a war diary if you can find one for him. Regards Ralph. Ralph, Many thanks for an incredibly prompt response. The award date of 6th August 1918 is after the Corporal's death - is this because the London Gazette was late in reporting such or would this mean that the MM award followed his death - or indeed both? Also...how would I be able to get a copy of the relevant Gazette ? KR's Vernon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 31 December , 2007 Share Posted 31 December , 2007 His entry in the 1918 Rifle Brigade Chronicle, will have a look to see if I can find anything for you. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralphjd Posted 31 December , 2007 Share Posted 31 December , 2007 Vernon, He would have been put forward for the MM by some high ranker and the details etc delayed in reaching the LG for reasons not known or the fact that so many were awarded, only a guess mind you, members with more knowledge than I would know better. I tried printing off the LG page but my printer is "playing up" You can join the LG site doesnt cost anything just a log in and a password needed and you may be able to print it yourself. Regards Ralph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vernon osborne Posted 31 December , 2007 Author Share Posted 31 December , 2007 Vernon, He would have been put forward for the MM by some high ranker and the details etc delayed in reaching the LG for reasons not known or the fact that so many were awarded, only a guess mind you, members with more knowledge than I would know better. I tried printing off the LG page but my printer is "playing up" You can join the LG site doesnt cost anything just a log in and a password needed and you may be able to print it yourself. Regards Ralph. I am so grateful. Many Thanks for your help. Vernon His entry in the 1918 Rifle Brigade Chronicle, will have a look to see if I can find anything for you. Andy Andy, Many thanks. Will await your response. Vernon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 31 December , 2007 Share Posted 31 December , 2007 Vernon, Nothing specifically mentioning your relative. 9th Rifle Brigade 1918. The whole month of January was spent practically in moves, the Battalion being at St. Omer on the 1st and at Jussy five miles south of St. Quentin on the 30th. Here it remained until the 23rd, during which time two tours of trench duty were carried out. It then moved to Montescourt. The casualties during the month were eleven other ranks. From 1 to 11 March it was at Montescourt, from where it carried out a tour of trench duty. On the 12th it moved to Jussy. On the 21st it moved up to the railway embankment at Montescourt, two Companies being sent forward as an escort to guns in front of Clastres, and covered the retirement of the Division. Later in the day it moved to Petit Detroit. Next day it moved to Flave le Martel and on the 23rd the enemy attacked, and as the Battalion left flank was found to be in the air it retired to Cugny - a Neuville Road where it remained until 12 noon on the 24th, when it was relieved and marched to Guiscard, and later in the day to Crissoles and Sermaize. The casualties during the period 21st to 24th were as follows:- Killed: Captain Hon. A.A. Tennyson., Captain A.G. Martin missing, believed killed. Wounded: Captain S.H. Russell, 2nd Lieutenants C.R. Swift, D. McIntosh, A.M. Penman, G.W. Baker, W.L. McKechnie, P.F. Bayley and G.A. Wallace. Wounded and missing: Major J.M. Boardman (Oxs & Bucks L.I. attached); 2nd Lieutenants W. McGeoch, H. Chandler, and R. Wilson; other ranks 285. On the 25th the Battalion manned the Canal Bank defences and in the evening marched to Elincourt. On the 26th it was at Ecuvillon and on the 27th at Remy. On the 28th at Isle de Sarrin and on the 29th at Tilloy les Conty. 1st April - The Battalion moved to St. Nicolas, and on the 2nd to Bois de Blagny. On the 3rd it went into the line in front of Hamel. On the morning of the following day the enemy attacked and forced the Battalion to retire to a line in front of Vaire. It was relieved that evening and returned to Aubigny. The casualties during the period 3rd to 4th were: Killed, 2nd Lieutenant O.E. Butt (10th Gloucestershire Regiment); missing, 2nd Lieutenant P.V. Grant (13th Entrenching Battalion attached) and Captain Forbes (R.A.M.C.); wounded, Captain L. Smith and 2nd Lieutenant R.G.L. Pull and over 200 other ranks. On the 5th and 6th the Battalion manned the Reserve Line between Aubigny and Blangy. On the 7th it moved to St. Fuscien and on the 10th to Woincourt and on the 11th to Embry. Will check a few other things for you. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vernon osborne Posted 31 December , 2007 Author Share Posted 31 December , 2007 Andy, Many thanks again. Vernon Osborne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 31 December , 2007 Share Posted 31 December , 2007 Vernon, The London Gazette is available online. Here is the link to the page mentioning A. G. Osborne: http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewPDF.a...p;exact=Osborne Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vernon osborne Posted 2 January , 2008 Author Share Posted 2 January , 2008 Steve, Following this, I have found a company that can supply back issues of the LG and have placed an order for the issue number as quoted in your email. The Great War forum has been amazingly useful in helpiing me to date. I am now trying to find out exactly how my relative earnt his MM though this will not be easy as he was only a Corporal and therefore did not qualify for any citation as such. Many Thanks for your help. Vernon Osborne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 2 January , 2008 Share Posted 2 January , 2008 Vernon, I have a little more on the 9th during this period but nothing that mentions individuals unfortunately. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notforgotten Posted 4 September , 2009 Share Posted 4 September , 2009 His entry in the 1918 Rifle Brigade Chronicle, will have a look to see if I can find anything for you. Andy Hello Andy, is there any mention of Jerry Hearn(e), he died of his wounds 27th March 1918. Regards, Bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBrockway Posted 5 September , 2009 Share Posted 5 September , 2009 Hello Andy, is there any mention of Jerry Hearn(e), he died of his wounds 27th March 1918. Regards, Bill. Bill, Jerry Hearn(e) was in 9th King's Royal Rifle Corps not 9th Rifle Brigade, so he won't get a mention in the RB Chronicle! Both were in 42nd Brigade though, so it's possible Andy may have some info anyway. More info on Rfn Hearn(e) here: Rifleman Jerry Hearn 9th Bn King's Royal Rifle Corps Cheers, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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