Background

Hubert Patterson Osborne was born April 28, 1894 in Belleville, Ontario to Major William James and Evelyn Beatrice Osborne. According to census records, Hubert was the oldest of four children to James and Evelyn that also included a Gordon, Frank, and Margorie. His father was actively involved in the military while growing up in Ontario and later New Brunswick. According to newspapers, William James belonged to the 49th and then 15th Battalion (Argyle Light Infantry) while living in Belleville. Eventually rising to the rank of captain, in 1897 the family moved to Fredericton where he joined the 71st Regiment as a major and then captain. In addition to his involvement with the 71st Regiment, he was active in city politics as an alderman in council, manager of the Fredericton Business College, and board member of the Y.M.C.A. and Fredericton Board of Trade. The family lived at 221 Charlotte Street. Given the involvement of his parents in the community life of the city, Hubert naturally became active himself and was well-liked. For some time, he served with the 71st Regiment as staff sergeant. After high school, Hubert attended both Mount Allison University and the University of New Brunswick; however, before the war he moved to Toronto to study law at Osgoode Hall with his uncle, Judge Phitten. When war broke out in 1914, he immediately returned to Fredericton. On December 8, 1915 he formally enlisted in Sussex with the 104th Battalion before going to Halifax to qualify for a commission as captain. His father and brother, Gordon, soon enlisted themselves with Major William James joining the 55th Battalion and Gordon enlisting with the 9th Siege Battery in Saint John. Like many others from Fredericton and around the province, Hubert spent the next few months in Canada training in preparation for going overseas. It is unclear if he saw his family again over the winter and spring of 1915-1916 before he left. At the time of his enlistment, Hubert was twenty-two years old and unmarried.     

Wartime Experience

On June 28, 1916, Captain Hubert P. Osborne left Halifax, Nova Scotia aboard the S.S. Olympic and arrived in Liverpool, England over a week later on July 5. While in England, Hubert decided to join the Royal Flying Corps and obtained a discharge from his Canadian unit so that he could begin course training at the flying school during the winter of 1916-1917. According to letters sent home, he was assigned to the 63rd Squadron while in England and had been planning to go to the middle east. However, the decision was made to transfer all Canadians to the 58th Squadron, which ultimately meant that he would be going to France instead. For the next few months, Hubert remained in England taking practice flights and preparing for the time when he would cross the channel himself. On July 3, 1917 he arrived at the northern France and Belgium border as part of the 21st Squadron and was partnered in a plane piloted by a veteran pilot named George Leckie. Despite the attraction of flying in a plane, during the First World War it was one of the most dangerous places to be. The typical time of a pilot in the RFC and RAF was often not very long. Just four days after arriving to the Western Front, on the morning of July 7 at 7:30 a.m., Captain Osborne was performing artillery observation with George Leckie over German lines when they came under attack. According to Lieutenant Stewart M. Goodeve, a friend with the 21st Squadron, their plane was hit from the ground by enemy artillery and eye-witness accounts suggest that as the machine began a nose-dive Hubert was seen attempting to correct its fall. At that point both he and George were hit by additional machine gun fire and the plane crashed behind allied lines. When his body was recovered, it was found that he had been shot through the heart. In letters of condolences sent home from superior officers and printed in the Daily Gleaner a few months after his death, many shared sincere sympathies for the family’s loss:

“In the few days your boy was with the squadron, he became very popular and won the hearts of all by his open frankness and his consideration for others. Believe me, we all miss him terribly, and his friends here wish me to send you their deepest sympathy. Hubert died as I know he would wish to – doing his duty splendidly. He was considered one of the best by all his pals and friends. Believe me, their graves are having all possible care. Major Good has had crosses made from a propeller and these will be placed on the graves tomorrow. May God comfort you and Major Osborne in your sorrow.”

At the time of his death, Hubert was twenty-three years of age leaving behind both of his parents and his siblings, Gordon, Frank, and Marjorie.

Lest We Forget

Captain Hubert P. Osborne is buried with honour at the Perth Cemetery (China Wall), located in Zillebeke, Belgium. According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, there are approximately 2,791 servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. There is also a dedication to him on the family plot in the Fredericton Rural Cemetery.