Osborne Bernard Ricketts

Story:
Osborne Bernard Ricketts was born on 14th April 1892 in Motcombe, Shaftesbury, Dorset, and baptised there on 30th August 1892, the son of James John Charles Ricketts and Sara Ann Ricketts (née Broadway).  He lived most of his early life at Culverhouse Farm, Motcombe, where his father was the Farmer and attended Shaftesbury Grammar School, leaving in the spring of 1905. He enlisted on the 1st May 1908 and joined the Dorset (Queen's Own) Yeomanry Territorial Force, attending annual camps for training (Service No. 226).  (N.B. His military records are in the name of Bernard only.)   He was re-engaged on 30th April 1914 and embodied on 5th August 1914 with the rank of Corporal (Service No. 1058).  He was at Gallipoli, Turkey, and landed at Sulva Bay where he was severely wounded on 2nd August 1915.  He was invalided back to the UK on 9th October 1915 and discharged on 5th June 1916 having completed his terms of engagement.   He was awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1914/15 Star.   He married Sophia Louisa King on 24th April 1917 at Motcombe, Dorset. By the 1939 Register he was living at Sadden Farm, Burbage, West Grafton, Marlborough, Wiltshire, and was working as a Dairyman and Cowman.  He died in Marlborough in 1966.

Osborne Bernard's younger brother Hubert Martin (b.1896) died on 9th September 1915 while serving with the Dorset Yeomanry at Gallipoli.

A "First List of Old Shastonians Serving in H.M. Forces" was produced by Shaftesbury Grammar School in September 1915. It shows the regiment in which the brothers served and the date and term in which they left school. Their names are also included on a hand written list of Shaftesbury Grammar School old boys serving during the war. An asterix can be seen next to Hubert's name, indicating that he had died. The board is now at Gold Hill Museum.

Printed Sources:
Shaftesbury Grammar School Magazine, October 1915
First List of Old Shastonians Serving in H.M. Forces, September 1915