Little is know of F/O Jack Osborn at this stage. He is known to have been friends with F/L E.E. Allen & crew as he is noted and pictured in Allen's memoirs. A notation on his image states that he was F/O George Fleiger's back up pilot... Fleiger was at one time a member of Allen's crew. This picture was taken from the online tribute to F/L Allen.

Update November 2013:

Have recently been contacted by the son of Jack, Lee Osborn, who kindly sent in the following information and picture. Thanks Lee.

"I came across your site this morning when looking for a picture of a Hudson bomber to put on Facebook in honour of my Dad's contribution in WW2, seeing Remembrance Day is almost upon us.

He served in 59 Squadron Coastal Command and most likely knew your grandfather. Attached is a news clip from The Bendigo Advertiser newspaper dated 8th June 1942. As it says he was mentioned in dispatches. I also know he sank a German ship on a raid that took place on the 31st May (my mother's birthday) and the Squadron Leader at the time said he would be recommending Dad for a DFC for his courage and determination in action. Unfortunately (all round!) the Squadron Leader got killed shortly after leading another raid and the recommendation was never made. I think it was always something of a disappointment for Dad that he was never able to put "DFC" after his name when he felt he had earned it.....one of the less important vagaries of war!!!

Dad trained in Canada as part of the Empire training scheme. There were 55 blokes in his intake and only 6 returned. At the end of the war Dad was given special powers by the Air Board to oversee the return of allied aircraft in the Pacific back to Australia. He said it was the largest mass movement of aircraft of the Pacific War.

Dad joined TAA after the war and rose to the rank of Senior Check Captain on Vickers Viscounts but because of seniority rules he could go no further. So in 1957 he joined Middle-East Airlines (MEA), based in Beirut, Lebanon, who at the time were also at the time operating a fleet of Viscounts. Within 6 months he was promoted to Chief Pilot and retained that position as well as being appointed Senior Vice-President (Operations). In this position he was responsible for the introduction of De Havilland Comet 4Cs into MEA's fleet, pilot training and aircraft operations. He resigned from his position for family and personal reasons in 1963 and returned to Australia where for a number of years he held the position of MEA Sales Manager (Australia). From 1969 he developed serious heart problems and died in 1977 while undergoing bypass surgery".