Lieutenant-Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...

William Osborne Smith (1833 – 11 May 1887) served as the first Acting Commissioner of the North-West Mounted Police, from 25 September to 17 October 1873.

Biography

Osborne Smith was born to W. H. Smith of Hendreowen (

West Glamorgan , HQ= County Hall, Swansea , Government= West Glamorgan County Council (abolished 1996) , Status= , Start= 1974 , End= 1996 , Arms= ''Coat of arms of Wes ...

), Wales. He was commissioned into the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

's 39th Foot in 1855. He served in the Crimea and came to the

province of Canada The Province of Canada (or the United Province of Canada or the United Canadas) was a British North America, British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham ...

with his regiment in 1856. He married Janet Colquhoun of Montreal in 1858. When his unit was transferred to Bermuda in 1859, Osborne Smith, then a

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

, sold his commission and became a merchant in Montreal. He later became a

lieutenant-colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...

in the Canadian Militia. Osborne Smith carries the distinction of having the only regimental number that carries a fraction. His number was 2.5. He returned to

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

and died in

Swansea Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Swansea ( cy, links=no, Dinas a Sir Abertawe). The city is the twenty-fifth largest in ...

in 1887.

Legacy

A neighbourhood in Winnipeg is named after Osborne. The

Osborne Village Osborne Village is a neighbourhood of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The area is bordered by the Assiniboine River on the north and west, Harkness Station on the east (see Winnipeg RT), and the Osborne Underpass on the south. History Osborne Village deriv ...

is part of the federal riding of

Winnipeg South Centre Winnipeg South Centre (french: Winnipeg-Centre-Sud) is a federal electoral district in Manitoba, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1925 to 1979 and since 1988. Geography The district includes the neighbou ...

and a major area of cultural influence, including the

gay village A gay village is a geographical area with generally recognized boundaries that is inhabited or frequented by many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBT) people. Gay villages often contain a number of gay-oriented establish ...

External links

* Canadian Militia officers People of the Fenian raids District of Keewatin councillors Royal Canadian Mounted Police commissioners 39th Regiment of Foot officers British Army personnel of the Crimean War Welsh emigrants to pre-Confederation Canada 1833 births 1887 deaths {{Canada-mil-bio-stub Victoria Rifles of Canada Winnipeg Light Infantry