King's Own Royal Regiment Museum

Colonels of the King's Own Royal Regiment

Lieutenant General Sir Oswald Cuthbert Borrett KCB CMG CBE DSO

Born 4 March 1878. Son of Major General Herbert Cuthbert Borrett.
2nd Lieutenant 7 May 1898. Lieutenant 1900. On Special service in South Africa, 1900. ADC to Lieutenant General Infantry Division, South Africa, 26 October 1900. Captain, 1902. Adjutant Indian Railway Volunteers, 1909-14. Major 22 October 1914. Wounded in Belgium, 19 February 1915. Temporary Lieutenant Colonel, 5th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, 17 June 1915 to 15 July 1916. Brevet Lieutenant Colonel 3 June 1916. Temporary Lieutenant Colonel 1st Battalion, King’s Own, 16 July 1916. Brigade Commander 197th Infantry Brigade, France 13 July 1917 to 2 April 1918. Brigade Commander 54th Infantry Brigade, 11 October 1918 to 18 November 1918, and again 19 November 1918 to 14 April 1919.
Acting Lieutenant Colonel 51st Battalion, Liverpool Regiment, 15 April 1919 to 31 July 1919. ADC to the King and Brevet Colonel 3 June 1919. Lieutenant Colonel King’s Own, 13 October 1919. Brigade Commander, India, 20 June 1920 to 8 August 1920. Brigade Commander Waziristan Force 9 August 1920 to 31 October 1920. Brigade Commander Wana Column, 1 November 1920 to 31 March 1921. Commander Wana Force 1 April 1921 to 14 January 1922. Colonel of the King’s Own 19 November 1926. Commander Shanghai Area, 17 August 1927. Major General, 46th North Midland Division Territorial Force, 15 May 1931. Commanding Troops in China 1 January 1933. Lieutenant of the Tower of London, 1936.

Group at Royal Military College, Sandhurst, 1897, showing General Borrett as Cadet
Accession Number: KO0279/02

Lieutenant General Sir Oswald Borrett.
Accession Number: KO0460/03

Lieutenant General Sir Oswald Borrett, July 1933.
Accession Number: KO1017/095

Lieutenant General Sir Oswald Borrett, February 1937.
Accession Number: KO1017/100

Monochrome wash water-colour by H Ripperger for the book 'Deeds that Thrill the Empire".
Major Oswald Borrett winning his Distinguished Service Order,
18th February, 1915, Zillebeke, near Ypres.
Oswald Cuthbert Borrett, son of Major General Herbert Borrett was born in March 1878 and joined the King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment on 7th May 1898. He served in the South African War (1899-1902) and was adjutant of the 1st Battalion King's Own between 1905 and 1908. He was promoted Major on 22nd October 1914 and he served with the 2nd Battalion King's Own in France from January 1915.
He was award the DSO for an action on 18th February, 1915:
"While the fighting in front of the German barricade was at its height, Major Borrett came face to face with the German officer. Raising their revolvers they fired point blank at each other. In a moment the German fell dead, while Major Borrett, who was hit in the shoulder, dropped his weapon."
Borrett was later wounded in August 1915, but returned to service and commanded the 1st Battalion King's Own and later took command of three Infantry Brigades in France. After the war he was promoted Lieutenant Colonel and commanded the 2nd Battalion, in Burma. He also served as Brigade Commander at Waziristan on the North West Frontier from 1920 to 1922.
Accession Number:  KO2545/01

Victor Comic - 12th September 1970

The story of Major Oswald Cuthbert Borrett winning his Distinguished Service Order whilst with the 2nd Battalion of the King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment in February 1915.

Victor Comic of 12th September 1970, front page.  Published by D C Thomson & Co Ltd.
Accession Number: KO3074/44a

Victor Comic of 12th September 1970, back page.  Published by D C Thomson & Co Ltd.
Accession Number KO3074/44b