Public Contributions:

Submitted by: Robyn Osborne

Relationship to casualty: Great Niece

This item is in the National Library of NZ records and is worth noting as George Osborn was the first NZ casualty of WW2. [White, Edward Norman, fl 1940-1976. Gravesite of Dvr G R Osborn, the first N...ew Zealand casualty, Mersa Matruh Military Cemetery, Egypt. New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency. Ref: DA-03536. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.] Read More

Submitted by: Robyn Osborne

Relationship to casualty: Great Niece

A Photo of George R Osborn taken in his Army uniform. He was born in London, England, younger son of Albert and Emma Osborn. He emigrated with his family to New Zealand in 1923 and lived with his p...arents in Northland on a farm for some time. He was affectionately known as “Boy” to his parents. He never married. At the onset of WWII George joined up as soon as he could and was posted to Egypt. He was a truck driver in the Army. Not long after landing in Egypt in 1940 George alighted from the cab of his truck and stepped on a landline and was killed instantly. He was the first New Zealand serviceman to be killed in action in WWII. My father, his nephew, Robert William McBride, served in the New Zealand Air Force during WWII. He was devastated when his Uncle George was killed, as I am sure were all the family. By coincidence my married name is Osborne (with an e at the end). The name of our eldest son’s younger son is Elliot George Osborne. I was born and raised in New Zealand and grew up hearing the story of Uncle George, but married an Australian, so his name lives on in Australia, a true ANZAC story. Read More