Gunner Oscar Richard Colquhoun Royal Field Artillery
1914 Star '5 Aug-22 Nov 1914', 1914-18 British War Medal, Victory Medal.
The Man Oscar Richard Colquhoun was born on Sunday 29th August 1880 at 100 George Street West, Ladywood, Birmingham, son of Richard James, a Police Officer with Birmingham City Police and Alice Lucy nee Ford. He had one sister, Alice Beatrice born in 1885 and he was baptised on 29th August 1880 in All Saints Church, Hockley Heath, Birmingham.
The 1881 census show the family living at 73 Springfield Street, Rotten Park, although Oscar is shown as eight years old and a scholar! No record of the 1891 census can be found, but at some time during the 1890s, Oscar enlisted into the Royal Field Artillery as a regular soldier and in 1901 was shown based as Leeds Cavalry Barracks, Chapeltown Road as a soldier in the 97th Battery RFA with service number 2110.
During the third quarter of 1907, aged 27 he married Marguerite Starling in West Bromwich, they had four children, Monica Mary (1909 - 1967), Winifred 1911, Bernard Francis (1912 - 1980) and Frank.
At the outbreak of World War I on 4th August 1914, Oscar was posted to France as part of the XXXV Brigade British Expeditionary Force (one of the ‘Old Contemptibles’) landing on 6th October 1914. The XXXV was originally stationed in Eastern Command in the United Kingdom and following mobilisation attached to 7th Division and sent to the Continent in September. It saw service with the division on the Western Front throughout the war.
Oscar appears to have served throughout the war and survived, for which he was awarded his 1914 Star with ‘5th Aug-22 Nov 1914’ clasp, 1914-18 British War Medal and Victory Medal.
No trace of the family can be found on the 1911 or 1921 census, possibly as Oscar was serving overseas and may have remained in the Army after the war? By 1925 however, the family had moved to Birmingham, living at 267 Bellbarn Road, Edgbaston and in 1935 at 14 Summer Road, Acocks Green.
Oscar became a Baths Attendant in Birmingham and by the late 1930s had retired, living at 43 Shaftsmoor Lane, Acocks Green. He passed away on 16th October 1938 aged 58 at Mount St Bernard’s Abbey, a Trappist Order Monastery of Coronary Thrombosis, General enterio-sclerosis Marguerite living a further 12 years passing away on 2nd October 1950 at Selly Oak Hospital.
The 1881 census show the family living at 73 Springfield Street, Rotten Park, although Oscar is shown as eight years old and a scholar! No record of the 1891 census can be found, but at some time during the 1890s, Oscar enlisted into the Royal Field Artillery as a regular soldier and in 1901 was shown based as Leeds Cavalry Barracks, Chapeltown Road as a soldier in the 97th Battery RFA with service number 2110.
During the third quarter of 1907, aged 27 he married Marguerite Starling in West Bromwich, they had four children, Monica Mary (1909 - 1967), Winifred 1911, Bernard Francis (1912 - 1980) and Frank.
At the outbreak of World War I on 4th August 1914, Oscar was posted to France as part of the XXXV Brigade British Expeditionary Force (one of the ‘Old Contemptibles’) landing on 6th October 1914. The XXXV was originally stationed in Eastern Command in the United Kingdom and following mobilisation attached to 7th Division and sent to the Continent in September. It saw service with the division on the Western Front throughout the war.
Oscar appears to have served throughout the war and survived, for which he was awarded his 1914 Star with ‘5th Aug-22 Nov 1914’ clasp, 1914-18 British War Medal and Victory Medal.
No trace of the family can be found on the 1911 or 1921 census, possibly as Oscar was serving overseas and may have remained in the Army after the war? By 1925 however, the family had moved to Birmingham, living at 267 Bellbarn Road, Edgbaston and in 1935 at 14 Summer Road, Acocks Green.
Oscar became a Baths Attendant in Birmingham and by the late 1930s had retired, living at 43 Shaftsmoor Lane, Acocks Green. He passed away on 16th October 1938 aged 58 at Mount St Bernard’s Abbey, a Trappist Order Monastery of Coronary Thrombosis, General enterio-sclerosis Marguerite living a further 12 years passing away on 2nd October 1950 at Selly Oak Hospital.
Oscar Colquhoun's Medal Index Card
Medal Details:
- 1914 Star: 2110 GNR.O.R.COLQUHOUN. R.F.A.
- 1914-18 British War Medal: 2110 GNR. O.R.COLQUHOUN. R.A.
- Victory Medal: 2110 GNR. O.R.COLQUHOUN. R.A.
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This page last updated 14 Apr 25
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