MY WAR DEAD
OSBORNE, George Ernest - died 21st December 1917.
George Ernest Osborne was born in Norwood, south London, in the latter part of 1879, being the second son and fourth child of Charles Barker, a gardener, and his wife who had been born Martha Barker. By 1901, Charles had followed in his father's footsteps, working from home as a jobbing gardener.
George's mother died in 1902 and he married Kate Amelia Ladd in 1904; he and Kate had 2 children, George and Kathleen by the time of the 1911 census.
After the outbreak of war, George enlisted at Camberwell and served initially with the Royal West Surrey Regiment before transferring to the Labour Corps. It is not known when he first saw active service as his record has not survived, but his medal card indicates that it was not before 1916. George died from bronchitis on 21st December 1917, aged 38, probably in the vicinity of Arras, and is buried in the Bucquoy Road cemetery, Ficheux, France. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission record states that he was the son of Charles and Martha Osborne and husband of Kate Amelia Osborne of West Norwood, London. George was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
George left a Will for which probate was granted to his brother, Charles Barker Osborne, and a brother-in-law, Harry Reuben Dodd, in January 1918; the estate was valued at £1,559, a substantial sum at that time.
George Ernest Osborne was a first cousin of William Edward Osborne who had perished in the 'Titanic' disaster in April 1912. He was my 3rd cousin, 3 times removed.