| Oswald | William Digby | | Lieutenant | OSWALD, WILLIAM DIGBY, Lieutenant, was born at Southampton 20 January 188O youngest son of Thomas Ridley Oswald and the only son of Wilhelmina Catherine, his second wife (nee Russell), formerly of Southampton, and afterwards of Castle Hall, Milford Haven, and of Blackheath. He went to Rugby in 1895, and in 1898 he won the Wrigley Cup for his House by his own unaided efforts, winning four events—the Quarter Mile, High Jump, Weight, and Hurdles. He left the same year, and in 1899 entered the Army, through the Militia, being gazetted to the 2nd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. He saw service in Egypt, and later in South Africa, as Lieutenant and Adjutant of the Railway Pioneer Regiment. He was mentioned in Lord Kitchener's Despatches (8 March 1902), and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 31 October 1902]: "William Digby Oswald, Lieutenant, 3rd Railway Pioneer Regiment. For services during operations in South Africa". viz: the rescue of a Native Scout on 31 January, the enemy being close to him, and pursuing for some miles. So reticent was he in some matters pertaining to himself, that it is doubtful if even his most intimate friends ever knew for what special act of gallantry he was awarded this high distinction. After the South African War he began mining in South Africa. He served also as Captain and Adjutant of Royston's Horse in the Natal Rebellion in 1906, and was wounded in fierce bush fighting in Zululand. He continued mining in Rhodesia until May 1914, and lived at Bulawayo. On the outbreak of the European War he joined the 5th Dragoon Guards (Special Reserve), as Lieutenant, on 7 August 1914, and a week later went to France with the 1st Cavalry Brigade. He was in the Retreat from Mons, and took part, in the Battles of the Maine and the Aisne. He was wounded at Messines on 31 October 1914, and was sent home. In May 1915, eager to get to the front again, he was attached as Captain to the Royal Field Artillery, and was with the 3rd Division in the heavy righting round Ypres. After serving on the Staff as ADC to Major General J A L Haldane, and as Assistant Provost-Marshal (for which he was mentioned in Despatches), he was, in December 1915, appointed Second-in-Command of the 12th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment, and in March 1916, took over the command. He took part in much fighting at St Eloi, and in the early stages of the Battle of the Somme. On 14 July 1916, the 3rd Division took part in a highly successful attack on the ridge between Bazen-tin-le-Petit and Longueval, and Lieutenant Colonel Oswald (his promotion was gazetted posthumously [London Gazette of October 12, 1916], and also mentioned in Despatches after his death), was struck in the chest by a misfire from an English gun (a tragic Incident—he had seen that the gun was wrongly focussed during the day, and had sent orders to that effect), and, after seeming to make a good recovery, sank rapidly and died on 16 July 1916. Major General Haldane, commanding the 3rd Division, wrote: "His loss I feel much personally, but still more as Commanding Officer, for a man like him was worth a battalion of infantry". Another officer wrote: "I always thought it an extremely sporting thing to give up a pleasant post such as Assistant Provost-Marshal, and take on infantry work in the trenches". In dedicating a memorial tablet to his memory at Victoria, Rhodesia, Canon Ashworth told how junior officers vied with each other to serve under him, and how his servant three months after Colonel Oswald's death broke down completely in describing his life in the trenches with his men and the way in which he met his death. He had lived a life of movement and adventure; he was a very good horseman, a keen polo player, and loved big game shooting in Rhodesia, but, perhaps, the Great War brought out what was best, in him. "One who never turned his back, but marched breast forward, Never doubted clouds would break, Never dreamed, though right were worsted, wrong would triumph. Held we fall to rise, are baffled to fight better, Sleep to wake". The officers of the 5th Dragoons and his friends in the 3rd Division intend to erect a memorial, in the form of a drinking fountain for animals, in Surrey or Dorset. Lieutenant Oswald had married, on 7 March 1905, at St John's Church, Weymouth, Dorset, Catherine Mary, daughter of the Reverend J Scott Yardley, of St Chad's, Shrewsbury, and Mary Yardley (maiden name, Loxdale), and there were three daughters: Theodora Betty; Ambrosine Mary, and Patricia Catherine.
Source: DSO recipients (VC and DSO Book) | Railway Pioneer Regiment |
