James Albert Edward Osborne was born early in 1887, in Weston, on the northern outskirts of Bath, Somerset. One of eight siblings, his parents were road labourer James and launderess Emily Osborne.

When he completed his schooling, James Jr found work as an ‘under brewer’, but soon took up woodwork. By the time of the 1911 census, he was employed as a jobbing carpenter, bringing in one of four wages into the family home.

On 25th May 1915, James married Frances Kettlety. Born in Twerton, near Bath, she was the daughter of a nurseryman. At the time of the wedding, she was working as a tailor’s machinist. The couple set up home in a terraced house in Locksbrook Road, Bath, and had a daughter, Joyce, who was born in May 1916.

War was closing in on Europe and, in December 1915, James enlisted. His trade made him ideal to join the Royal Engineers, and he signed up as a Sapper. His service records show that he was 5ft 4.5ins (1.64m) tall, weighed 144lbs (65.3kg) and note that his lower molars were absent.

Initially placed on Reserve, Sapper Osborne was mobilised on 8th May 1916, and sent to a camp near Whitchurch, Hampshire. Over the next year he served in the area and was billeted with a Mr and Mrs Carpenter. While details of the work he did are lost to time, there is nothing in his records to suggest that he was anything other than committed to what he was doing.

In the spring of 1917, Sapper Osborne began to suffer from headaches. He visited the camp doctor a couple of times for them, but, again, there is no detail about the outcome of these appointments. By the end of May, the pains were becoming severe, and James took drastic action.

On Sunday 27th May, he spent the morning with colleagues Sapper Trott and Private Sutcliffe, both of whom said he was in good form, and was talking as normal. They saw him again the following morning, but only in passing. James’ landlord said that he had not seen him on the Monday, and so set out to look for him.

[Mr Carpenter] found Osborne in a field about two miles away from his home; he was in the middle of a big double hedge and must have crawled through. [He] thought at first he was asleep, but when he went round to the other side of the hedge he could see that Osborne’s throat had been cut, but he did not touch him; he could see that he was dead… His hands, coat and trousers were covered with blood… Near his right hand was a blood-stained razor, this throat was cut and his windpipe severed He searched the deceased and in his tunic pocket found a letter… addressed to his wife, his mother, Lance-Corpl. Macey, two other mates and Mr and Mrs Carpenter…

Andover Advertiser: 1st June 1917

The inquest into Sapper Osborne’s dead returned a verdict of suicide while temporarily insane: he was 30 years of age.

James Albert Edward Osborne was brought back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in Twerton Cemetery, not far from where his widow and daughter lived.

---