Reuben Harold Abbot Osborne

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Mon, 06/03/2017 - 14:47

First Name:

Reuben

Middle Name:

Harold Abbot

Last Name:

Osborne

Alternate Spelling:

Rheuben

Mother's Name:

Hannah Osborne nee Field

Father's Name:

Bartholomew Osborne

Date Enlisted:

Monday, April 3, 1916

Rank at Enlistment:

Private

Rank at Discharge:

Private

Unit:

35th Battalion

Company:

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

British War Medal

Victory Medal

1914/1915 Star

Date of Death:

Thursday, June 7, 1917

Place of Death:

Messines, Belgium

Cause of Death:

Killed in action

Details:

Reuben Osborne (Service No 2117) was born in Cadia, near Orange, N.S.W. in 1895.

At enlistment Reuben was single, 21 years old, worked as a labourer, and lived at Port Kembla, N.S.W. He had served 2 years in the C.M.F.

Reuben embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A68 Anchises with 35th Battalion, 3rd Reinforcement on 24th August 1916. He arrived in England on 11th October 1916, and then France on 21st November 1916.

He joined 9 Platoon, C Company, 35th Battalion, soon after and saw service on the Western Front until 7th June 1917 when he was killed in action at Messines.

Initially listed as missing, evidence given later stated Reuben was in a shell hole beyond the German 3rd line when a shell exploded, and he received severe wounds to his face and side. The informant stated Reuben lived for about 20 minutes and asked his mate to write to his sister.

His body was never found and he has no known grave.

Reuben is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres, Belgium.

His brother Thomas Osborne also served; Thomas contracted broncho-pheumonia while serving, and died in England.

Sources:

NAA: B2455, OSBORNE RHEUBEN HAROLD ABBOT