Officer's undress shoulder belt and pouch: Lieutenant J B N Osborne, 1 Australian Horse

Officer's black patent leather shoulder belt with gilt whistle and keeper attached to two lengths of brass chain secured at top of belt to a gilt boss with a 1st Australian Horse white metal button in centre. Gilt belt plate of the 1st Australian Horse depicts a kangaroo and emu supporting a shield bearing a square cross with five stars which represent the Southern Cross within a wreath of waratahs. Superimposed on the shield are a crossed carbine and sword with a boomerang. Above the shield is a scroll bearing the Regiment’s title 'AUSTRALIAN HORSE'. Behind and above the scroll is a single waratah flower with the numeral ‘1’ superimposed on it. The black patent leather pouch, with two internal pockets, has the badge of the 1st Australian Horse attached to the front flap. The pouch badge is the same as that on the belt plate except that the regimental motto ‘FOR HEARTHS & HOMES’ is inscribed within the boomerang, and there is no surrounding wreath of waratahs. There are cast brass fittings on each side of the pouch to attach it to the shoulder belt.

Officer's undress shoulder belt and pouch worn by Lieutenant James Bunbury Nott Osborne as a member of the 1st Australian Horse. The numeral '1' on the badge was only included on the badge from 1898 to 1900. The first badges of the 1st Australian Horse were made in London and issued at the unit's first Easter camp. Born in New South Wales on 14 May 1878, and educated at Rugby College in England, Osborne was commissioned into the 1st Australian Horse on 1 January 1898, when he joined a contingent of the unit raised at Bungendore by his father, Pat Hill Osborne. The unit's first Easter camp was held at Currandooley, the nearby Osborne property, where Pat Osborne provided free rations, transport and forage. He also entertained the officers, including his son James, to dinner. During the Boer War, the Australian Horse provided two contingents, in 1899 and 1900. Osborne served as second in command with the first contingent, arriving in Cape Town on 13 December 1899. He was present at the Relief of Kimberley and while there, left the Australian Horse and took up a commission with the British 16th Lancers. He was closely involved in the surrender of Bloemfontein. Osborne took part in operations in Orange Free State and Transvaal between January 1900 and November 1900 and saw action at Reit River, Klip Drift, Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Poplar Grove, Dreifontein, Karee Siding, Belfast and Slingersfontein. He was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal with five clasps. After taking ill, he was invalided to England. Osborne eventually returned to Australia and took up the family property 'Bowylie', at Gundaroo, NSW. He died in 1934.