Frederick Osborne
Encyclopedia
Frederick Meares Osborne CMG
DSC and Bar
VRD
(20 January 1909 – 23 July 1996) was an Australian politician and government minister.
Osborne was born in Orange, New South Wales
, and educated at North Sydney High School
and Sydney Church of England Grammar School
. He graduated with a degree in law from the University of Sydney
. He joined the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve
in 1938, and with the outbreak of World War II, he was seconded to the Royal Navy
in 1940. He was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross
in 1940 for "bravery and devotion to duty" while assisting the evacuation of forces from Norway
as a sub-lieutenant on the St Loman, an armed trawler
. He then served on the HMS Gentian
, HMS Peacock and HMS Vanquisher escorting ships between the United States and Canada and the United Kingdom in the Battle of the Atlantic. He crossed the Atlantic 22 times and was the only Australian to rise to the command of a Royal Navy destroyer during the war. In 1945 a bar was added to his DSC for sinking of a German U-boat
.
at the December 1949 election
as a Liberal
. He was Minister for Customs and Excise
from January to October 1956, Minister for Air
from October 1956 to December 1960 and Minister for Repatriation
from December 1960 to his defeat at the December 1961 election
. Following his defeat he returned to his legal practice, but continued to play a major role in the New South Wales branch of the Liberal Party and was its president from 1967 to 1970. He supported a change in Liberal Party policy in favour of support for state aid for independent schools, a policy adopted by the three major national political parties by the 1972 election
. He was appointed as a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
for distinguished services to government and the community.
Osborne was survived by his wife, Elizabeth and four children, Alick, Michael, Imogen and Penelope.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
DSC and Bar
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
VRD
Volunteer Reserve Decoration
The Volunteer Reserve Decoration was awarded to commissioned officers in the United Kingdom's Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve for long service and good conduct.The VRD was established in 1908...
(20 January 1909 – 23 July 1996) was an Australian politician and government minister.
Osborne was born in Orange, New South Wales
Orange, New South Wales
Orange is a city in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. It is west of the state capital, Sydney, at an altitude of . Orange has an estimated population of 39,329 and the city is a major provincial centre....
, and educated at North Sydney High School
North Sydney Boys High School
North Sydney Boys High School is an academically selective, public high school for boys, located at Crows Nest in Sydney, Australia.- History :...
and Sydney Church of England Grammar School
Sydney Church of England Grammar School
Sydney Church of England Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school for boys, located in North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
. He graduated with a degree in law from the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
. He joined the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
in 1938, and with the outbreak of World War II, he was seconded to the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in 1940. He was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
in 1940 for "bravery and devotion to duty" while assisting the evacuation of forces from Norway
Operation Alphabet
Operation Alphabet was an evacuation, authorized on May 24, 1940, of Allied troops from the harbour of Narvik in northern Norway marking the success of Nazi Germany's Operation Weserübung of April 9 and the end of the Allied campaign in Norway during World War II...
as a sub-lieutenant on the St Loman, an armed trawler
Naval trawler
A naval trawler is a vessel built along the lines of a fishing trawler but fitted out for naval purposes. Naval trawlers were widely used during the First and Second world wars. Fishing trawlers were particularly suited for many naval requirements because they were robust boats designed to work...
. He then served on the HMS Gentian
HMS Gentian (K90)
HMS Gentian was a Royal Navy Flower-class corvette that served in the Battle of the Atlantic, during World War II.One of the first batch of wartime corvettes laid down, she served most of the time in the Western Approaches, escorting convoys across the North Atlantic with Escort Group B2 and was...
, HMS Peacock and HMS Vanquisher escorting ships between the United States and Canada and the United Kingdom in the Battle of the Atlantic. He crossed the Atlantic 22 times and was the only Australian to rise to the command of a Royal Navy destroyer during the war. In 1945 a bar was added to his DSC for sinking of a German U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
.
Political career
Osborne was elected as the member for EvansDivision of Evans
The Division of Evans was anAustralian Electoral Division in New South Wales.The division was created in 1949 and abolished in 1977. It was named for George Evans, an early explorer. It was located in the inner western suburbs of Sydney, including Ashfield, Croydon and Drummoyne...
at the December 1949 election
Australian federal election, 1949
Federal elections were held in Australia on 10 December 1949. All 121 seats in the House of Representatives, and 42 of the 60 seats in the Senate were up for election, where the single transferable vote was introduced...
as a Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
. He was Minister for Customs and Excise
Minister for Home Affairs (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Home Affairs has been Brendan O'Connor since 6 June 2009. The Home Affairs portfolio brings together agencies such as the Australian Customs Service , the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, which were previously the...
from January to October 1956, Minister for Air
Minister for Defence (Australia)
The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Stephen Smith is the current Minister.-Ministers for Defence:...
from October 1956 to December 1960 and Minister for Repatriation
Minister for Veterans' Affairs (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Veterans' Affairs oversees income support, compensation, care and commemoration programs for more than 400,000 veterans and their widows, widowers and dependants....
from December 1960 to his defeat at the December 1961 election
Australian federal election, 1961
Federal elections were held in Australia on 9 December 1961. All 122 seats in the House of Representatives, and 31 of the 60 seats in the Senate were up for election...
. Following his defeat he returned to his legal practice, but continued to play a major role in the New South Wales branch of the Liberal Party and was its president from 1967 to 1970. He supported a change in Liberal Party policy in favour of support for state aid for independent schools, a policy adopted by the three major national political parties by the 1972 election
Australian federal election, 1972
Federal elections were held in Australia on 2 December 1972. All 125 seats in the House of Representatives were up for election. The Liberal Party of Australia had been in power since 1949, under Prime Minister of Australia William McMahon since March 1971 with coalition partner the Country Party...
. He was appointed as a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
for distinguished services to government and the community.
Osborne was survived by his wife, Elizabeth and four children, Alick, Michael, Imogen and Penelope.