Name
Frank Reginald Osler
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
5136
Royal Warwickshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Biography
Frank Osler was born on 19th September 1890 at Abbots Langley. He was one of eight children (seven sons and two daughters) born to Frank (senior) and Jane Osler. Two of his brothers also served in the Great War. The family lived at Bedmond, and Frank (senior) had several jobs between 1881 and 1911, including Railway Clerk (1881), Attendant at the Asylum (1901) and General Labourer (1911).
Frank’s Service Record, showed that on 24th May 1910 he attested at Watford with the Royal Horse Artillery. He was living at Bedmond at the time and was employed by Mr Nunn of Coles Farm, Leavesden as a Gardener. The next day he was posted to the 4th East Anglian Brigade, Royal Field Artillery as a Driver. In the 1911 Census Frank (junior) was shown living at the family home in Bedmond, and worked as a Stable Man. He attended the annual Territorial Army Camps in 1910 at Lydd, 1911 at Lydd and Thetford, 1912 at Salisbury Plain, and in 1913. Frank was discharged at the Termination of his Engagement at Hertford on 23rd May 1914, and at some point in that year he married Edith Knight.
Frank was not recorded in the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour. The first reference to him during the War, was when he appeared in a photograph with his brother, Clifton in the Watford Illustrated newspaper. The Watford Illustrated reported that both men were serving with the 9th Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment. This has not been verified.
Frank’s Medal Roll indicated that he enlisted with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, and was sent to France on 8th December 1915.
Although not listing Frank in the monthly Roll of Honour in the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine throughout the War, the Magazine did record in June 1916 that he had been reported wounded.
Frank Osler survived the War, however his brother Clifton died from his wounds on 29th July 1916 and his brother Hamilton was killed in action on 1st August 1918.
Additional Information
Formerly 9th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment
Acknowledgments
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
