Harold OSBORNE

Year of Birth:  1891

Place of Birth:  Queensland

Date of Enlistment:  3 March 1915

Date and Place of Embarkation:  Not Applicable

Ship:  Not Applicable

Rank:  Private

Unit(s):  17th Battalion

Regimental Number:  301

Died:  20 May 1915

Information about Harold Osborne’s enlistment is sparse as his enlistment papers have been misplaced.  The only information found on his enlistment was that he was 23 years of age, occupation an Overseer and next of kin, his mother Jane Osborne, P.O. Cairns.

He was born in Queensland in 1891 to Frank Osborne & Jane Somerville who were pioneers in the Daintree district, Far North Queensland. He was one of nine children, Duncan born 1875, Jane 1877, Hilda 1879 and Frank 1881, born New South Wales then Arthur Daintree born 1883, Athelstone 1886, Eric Edward 1888, Harold 1891, and Brenda 1894, born in Queensland.

He was in the 17th Battalion who sailed on the HMAT Themistocles on 12 May 1915, but he had been admitted to Cottage Hospital, Liverpool Camp, Liverpool, Sydney with broncho pneumonia where he died on 20 May 1915. Harold is buried in the Liverpool Old Cemetery, Liverpool, Sydney New South Wales.

NAA; B2455 - loss of attestation papers
Cairns Post 9 April 1915 p4

Online Resources

NAA: B2455, Osborne, Harold, National Archives of Australia

Australian War Memorial

Cairns Post 9 April 1915

Queensland Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages

If you have a photograph or further information about this soldier you would like to share and add to his biography, please contact the Society at projects@cdfhs.org or leave a comment below. Thank you!

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