https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=John_Robert_OsbornJohn Robert Osborn - Revision history2026-07-31T13:53:42ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=John_Robert_Osborn&diff=364401&oldid=prev219.79.76.72 at 15:09, 14 July 20222022-07-14T15:09:41Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|Recipient of the Victoria Cross}}<br />
{{Other people|John Osborn}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}<br />
{{Use British English|date=October 2022}}<br />
{{Infobox military person<br />
| name = John Robert Osborn<br />
| image = John Robert Osborn.png<br />
| caption = Company Sergeant-Major J.R. Osborn of "A" Company, The Winnipeg Grenadiers, Jamaica, ca. 1940–1941.<br />
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1899|01|02}}<br />
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1941|12|19|1899|01|02}}<br />
| placeofburial_label = <br />
| placeofburial = <br />
| birth_place = [[Foulden, Norfolk]], England<br />
| death_place = [[Mount Butler]], [[Hong Kong]]<br />
| placeofburial_coordinates = <!-- {{coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} --><br />
| nickname =<br />
| allegiance ={{flag|United Kingdom}}<br>{{flag|Canada|1921}}<br />
| branch = {{Navy|UK}}<br>{{Army|Canada|1921}}<br />
| serviceyears = 1914−1918<br>1933−1941{{KIA}}<br />
| rank = [[Company sergeant major|Company Sergeant Major]]<br />
| servicenumber =<br />
| unit = [[The Winnipeg Grenadiers]]<br />
| commands =<br />
| battles = [[World War I]]<br>[[World War II]]<br />
* [[Pacific War]]<br />
** [[Battle of Hong Kong]] {{KIA}}<br />
| awards = [[Victoria Cross]]<br />
| relations =<br />
| laterwork =<br />
}}<br />
[[Company sergeant major|Company Sergeant Major]] '''John Robert Osborn''', [[Victoria Cross|VC]] (2 January 1899 − 19 December 1941) was a [[Canadians|Canadian]] soldier. Osborn was a recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]] (VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces. He was born in [[Norfolk, England]], and served in the [[Royal Navy]] during [[World War I]].<br />
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==Details==<br />
Osborn was born in England and came to Canada in 1920, after serving [[World War I]] with the [[Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve]]. Osborn first lived in [[Saskatchewan]] and then settled in [[Winnipeg]], [[Manitoba]]. He was 42 years old, and a Warrant Officer Second Class, holding an appointment as Company Sergeant-Major for A Company in the 1st Battalion, [[The Winnipeg Grenadiers]], during the [[Second World War]] when the following deed took place on [[Mount Butler]], [[Hong Kong]] for which he was awarded the VC.<br />
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His citation in the [[London Gazette]] reads: <br />
{{quote|At Hong Kong on the morning of 19th&nbsp;December 1941 a Company of the Winnipeg Grenadiers to which Company Sergeant-Major Osborn belonged became divided during an attack on Mount Butler, a hill rising steeply above sea level. A part of the Company led by Company Sergeant-Major Osborn captured the hill at the point of the bayonet and held it for three hours when, owing to the superior numbers of the enemy and to fire from an unprotected flank, the position became untenable. Company Sergeant-Major Osborn and a small group covered the withdrawal and when their turn came to fall back, Osborn single-handed engaged the enemy while the remainder successfully rejoined the Company. Company Sergeant-Major Osborn had to run the gauntlet of heavy rifle and machine gun fire. With no consideration for his own safety he assisted and directed stragglers to the new Company position exposing himself to heavy enemy fire to cover their retirement. Whenever danger threatened he was there to encourage his men.<br />
<br />
During the afternoon the Company was cut off from the Battalion and completely surrounded by the enemy who were able to approach to within grenade throwing distance of the slight depression which the Company was holding. Several enemy grenades were thrown which Company Sergeant-Major Osborn picked up and threw back. The enemy threw a grenade which landed in a position where it was impossible to pick it up and return it in time. Shouting a warning to his comrades this gallant Warrant Officer threw himself on the grenade which exploded killing him instantly. His self-sacrifice undoubtedly saved the lives of many others.<br />
<br />
Company Sergeant-Major Osborn was an inspiring example to all throughout the defence which he assisted so magnificently in maintaining against an overwhelming enemy force for over eight and a half hours and in his death he displayed the highest quality of heroism and self-sacrifice.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 37517|date=29 March 1946 |page=1617|supp=y}}</ref>}}<br />
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Osborn was the first Canadian awarded a Victoria Cross in the Second World War. His was the only Victoria Cross awarded for [[Battle of Hong Kong]].<br />
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==Legacy==<br />
Tributes in Hong Kong[[File:Hong Kong Park statue.jpg|thumb|150px|{{center|Statue of an anonymous World War I soldier from statuary collection of [[Eu Tong Sen]].<ref name="streets"/> Also visible is the Battle of Hong Kong memorial plaque dedicated to all the defenders of Hong Kong in December 1941 through John Robert Osborn}}]]<br />
[[File:HK Central 香港公園 Hong Kong Park memory of John Robert Osborn bronze statue sign Nov-2013.JPG|thumb|150px|{{center|Memorial plaque dedicated to all the defenders of Hong Kong in December 1941 through John Robert Osborn and to commemorate the British Garrison at Hong Kong.}}]]<br />
[[File:Osborn Memorial.jpg|thumb|The plaque is dedicated to Osborn and all members of the [[Winnipeg Grenadiers]].]]<br />
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* [[Osborn Barracks]] in [[Kowloon Tong]], [[New Kowloon]], was named after him (since 1997 the site is known as ''Kowloon East Barracks'').<br />
* Osborn is memorialised by a statue of an anonymous World War I soldier located in [[Hong Kong Park]]. The statue was originally part of the [[Eu Tong Sen]] statuary collection at Eucliff villa. When Eucliff villa was demolished, the statue was donated to [[Osborn Barracks]] in Kowloon in the 1980s and where it stayed for ten years before being relocated to [[Hong Kong Park]].<ref name="streets">{{cite book|last1=Wordie|first1=Jason|title=Streets : exploring Hong Kong Island|date=2002|publisher=Hong Kong University Press|isbn=9789622095632|location=Hong Kong|page=231}}</ref><br />
* In 2005, a plaque remembering Osborn's sacrifice was unveiled on the [[Hong Kong Trail]] parallel to where he fell.<ref name="Canadian Plaques in HK">{{cite web|title=Commemorative Plaques in Hong Kong|url=https://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/hong_kong/bilateral_relations_bilaterales/plaques.aspx?lang=eng|access-date=6 February 2021|website=www.canadainternational.gc.ca|publisher=Government of Canada}}</ref> The supposed spot where he died is marked by a pile of rocks nearby the sign, but is relatively inaccessible due to heavy foliage.<br />
* His name is engraved on the memorial hall of [[Sai Wan War Cemetery]] in Hong Kong.<br />
<br />
Tributes in Canada<br />
<br />
* In 2005, [[Historica Canada]] created a [[Heritage Minute]] honouring his heroic sacrifice.<br />
* Osborn Avenue, a residential street in [[Brantford|Brantford, Ontario]], is named after him.<br />
* His medals are displayed in the [[Canadian War Museum]], [[Ottawa|Ottawa, Ontario]].<br />
* There is an [[Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans in Canada|ANAVets]] unit in [[Winnipeg, Manitoba]], named after him: ANAF John Osborn VC unit #1.<br />
* The [[St. Vital Victorias]] [[junior ice hockey]] team in Winnipeg is named in memory of Osborn and his Victoria Cross.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.stvitaljrvics.com/history.html|title = History}}</ref><br />
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==See also==<br />
*[[Falling on a grenade]]<br />
*[[John K. Lawson]]<br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist|30em}}<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
{{Commons category|John Robert Osborn}}<br />
* [http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/gal/vcg-gcv/bio/osborn-jr-eng.asp Canadian Government website biography and citation: OSBORN, John Robert]<br />
* [https://hkvca.ca/cforcedata/indivreport/indivdetailed.php?regtno=H6008 Report on John Osborn from HKVCA web site]<br />
* [https://www.historicacanada.ca/content/heritage-minutes/osborn-hong-kong Historica's ''Osborn of Hong Kong'']<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Osborn, John Robert}}<br />
[[Category:1899 births]]<br />
[[Category:1941 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Canadian World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross]]<br />
[[Category:Canadian military personnel killed in World War II]]<br />
[[Category:Deaths by hand grenade]]<br />
[[Category:English emigrants to Canada]]<br />
[[Category:Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War I]]<br />
[[Category:People from Breckland District]]<br />
[[Category:History of Hong Kong]]<br />
[[Category:Battle of Hong Kong]]<br />
[[Category:Canadian Army soldiers]]<br />
[[Category:Burials at Sai Wan War Cemetery]]<br />
[[Category:Canadian Army personnel of World War II]]<br />
[[Category:People from St. Vital, Winnipeg]]<br />
[[Category:Canadian military personnel of World War I]]<br />
[[Category:Military personnel from Norfolk]]<br />
[[Category:Winnipeg Grenadiers]]<br />
[[Category:Winnipeg Grenadiers soldiers]]</div>219.79.76.72