Sergeant Major John Robert Osborn was the first Canadian soldier in the Second World War to perform an act of such great bravery that he would be awarded a Victoria Cross. But his heroism on December 19, 1941 in the Battle of Hong Kong was not known until after the war when the story was finally pieced together from Hong Kong veterans liberated after the Japanese surrender.
Osborn was fighting with the 1st Battalion, The Winnipeg Grenadiers, when he was killed during heavy fighting near Mount Butler, on Hong Kong Island. Mount Butler was one of several steep peaks dominating the north central part of the Island, which had been invaded by the Japanese on December 18. Part of Osborn's company was given the job of retaking the hill the morning of the 19th. They did, but their triumph was short-lived. Relentless Japanese fire from flanking positions forced the Canadians off the peak after some three hours. Osborn covered the withdrawal single-handedly. His citation, issued on April 2, 1946, tells the tragic story: "with no consideration for his own safety he assisted and directed stragglers to the new company position, exposing himself to heavy enemy fire to cover their retirement."
Alone and isolated, Osborn and his men fought on into the afternoon. The Japanese got close enough to the entrenched Canadians to lob grenades into their position. Osborn threw them back. Then one landed in a place where Osborn knew he could not return it in time. He shouted a warning to his comrades, and then threw himself on the grenade. He was killed instantly.