Major George Edward Bell Osborne
Biography of Major George Edward Bell Osborne
George Edward Bell Osborne was born on the 23rd of September 1879, and was the son of Robert – a merchant – and Grace Pagan Osborne. He grew up in Glasgow, and had two sisters – Barbara Pagan Osborne and Ethel Service Osborne. He attended Glasgow Academy.
In 1896 he joined the University of Glasgow, matriculating to study for an Arts Degree. In his first year he studied Latin and Greek, before taking Logic, Maths, and English in his second year. In his final year as an Arts student he took classes in Moral Philosophy and Roman Law. He graduated on with an MA on the 2nd of November 1899.
During his time as a student, George joined the 1st Lanakshire Volunteer Rifle Corps, and was made a Second Lieutenant (Supernumerary) on the 22nd of March 1899.
In 1899 he returned to the University, this time undertaking a Law degree. In his first year he took classes in Scots Law and Forensic Medicine, followed by Public International Law, Constitutional Law and History, and International Private Law in his second year. In his final year he studied Jurisprudence and Conveyancing, and graduated with an LLB on the 6th of November 1902.
Having graduated, George joined his uncle’s legal firm Messrs Pagan and Osborne, in Cupar. He was quickly made a partner, and was made the joint agent of the Cupar branch of the British Linen Company’s Bank. George was also Secretary of the Cupar Tennis and Hockey Clubs, as well as the Joint Secretary of the Cupar Conservative Club. He was also a member of the Fifeshire and Forfarshire Imperial Yeomanry, and was made a Second Lieutenant on the 26th of March, 1904.
Upon the outbreak of War, George quickly gave up his civilian life in order to join the War effort. As a member Fife and Forfar Yeomanry he was initially stationed in Britain as a member of the Home Defence, before being sent overseas in 1915 to fight in the Battle of Gallipoli. The Gallipoli attack was ultimately unsuccessful, and British and French Forces were forced to withdraw to Egypt. George would spend the rest of his military service in Egypt and Palestine, taking part in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign between the British and Ottoman Empire. He was killed during the Battle of Hareira and Sheria on the 6th of November 1917.
This was the second time in the course of the war that the Pagan Osborne business had lost not only one of their brightest lawyers, but also a member of the family. Osborne's cousin George Pagan had been killed in the Battle of the Somme in 1916. George Pagan and George Osborne's names appear next to each other on the Cupar War Memorial.
University Connections
WWI Roll of Honour
Summary
Major George Edward Bell Osborne
Rank: Major
Regiment: Fife And Forfar Yeomanry
Degree: MA LLB
Awards: N/A
Comments: Killed in action in Palestine 6 November 1917
Note/Press Clipping: Ch 4/4/2/3/820, 1179
Photo ID: Ch 4/4/2/2/210
Sources
University of Glasgow Registry Records, including Student Schedules (R4/1/1 and R4/2/1-2), Matriculation Slips (R8/5/17/7, R8/5/18/7, R8/5/19/7, R8/5/20/7, R8/5/21/6, r8/5/22/6).
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The Courier - "Cupar family pay tribute to lost relative at the Somme".
There are no comments available.