Edward Read Osborn took off in a 102 Squadron Whitley bomber on the night of November 28, 1940, on a two-plane raid on docks and shipping at the French port of Le Havre. Osborn's plane was never seen again.
PILOT OFFICER OSBORN
MISSING AFTER COLOGNE AIR RAID
Pilot-officer Edward R. Osborn, of Dunedin, who was reported in the ‘Star’ last night as missing after air operations on November 26, is the youngest of three sons of the late Mr S. H. Osborn on active service. His brothers are Lieutenant John S. Osborn (an engineer in the Royal Canadian Navy) and Private Henry C. Osborn (who is with a machine gun section of the First Echelon in Egypt.)
Pilot-officer Osborn attained his majority on July 27 last. He was born in Dunedin and attended the Normal School, then the Otago Boys’ High School, where he was a representative junior hockey player for the four years he was at school. After leaving be joined the office staff of the New Zealand Paper Mills. In 1938 he was absorbed into the Civil Reserve Air Force at Taieri, and when war broke out he was one of the first batch of acting pilots officers to go into training at the Taieri aerodrome. On March 23 he left New Zealand to join the Royal Air Force with pilot officer’s rank on a short service commission. -Evening Star, 30/11/1940.
OSBORN — To the gallant memory of my brother. Pilot Officer Edward Read Osborn, R.A.F.; aged 21 years.
Per ardua et astra.
— Inserted by his sister, Helen Banks, Sumner. -Press, 28/11/1941.
IN MEMORIAM
OSBORN. — A tribute to the memory of our gallant lad, Pilot-officer Edward Read, R.A.F., killed in action November 28, 1940. He died that we may live.
— Inserted by his loving mother and brothers (overseas). -Evening Star, 28/11/1942.
OSBORN. — A tribute of love to the memory of my dear son. Pilot Officer Edward Read Osborn, R.A.F., killed in action November 28, 1940.
Not just to-day, but every day.
In silence I remember him.
— Inserted by his mother.
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