Personal Profile

817. Gnr. Owen, William John

Gunner

Date of Birth: 12/1/1893, Aberdulais (CENS)
Occupation: Coal Miner (CENS)
Employer: Clyne Merthyr Colliery Co, Clyne, Neath (1921)
1908 Serv. No: 817
1917 Serv. No: 725210
Other service: 439 Bty, 53rd Div
Awards: 14/15. BWM. VIC.

Personal Details

WORKING NOTES

Born 12/1/1893, Aberdulais. Parents - William & Elizabeth

1901 - Queens Sq, Blaenhoddan, Neath. 8yo. W parents & 6 sis

1911 - 6 Clyne Cottages, Clyne, Neath. 18yo. Occ-Coal Miner Assistant. W parents & 4 sis

1915 - Married Elizabeth J Lloyd, Q2, Neath

1921 - 7 Clyne Ter, Neath. 28y5m. Occ-Coal Miner, Clyne Merthyr Coll Co, Clyne, Neath (out of work). W wife Eliza Jane and Leonard Clifford (1920)

1939 - 1 Clyne Ter, Neath. DOB 12/1/1893. Occ-General Labourer. W Wife Elizabeth, Gordon Cliff (1923), Dorothy (1933)

Mr William John Owen, known to the children of Clyne as 'Uncle Johnny' and his wife Elizabeth of 9 Llysdwfnant, Clyne, celebrated their Golden Wedding last week.

Neath Guardian, 21/5/1965 (Newspapers.com)

1970 - Died aged 77, Q1 Neath. DOB 12/1/1893

Address:
Clyne Terrace Clyne
Neath (CENS)

Military Service

No SR

He served in the Army during the First World War, and saw service in France, Egypt & Palestine.

Neath Guardian, 21/5/1965 (Newspapers.com)

Pre-war territorial, enl Apr/May 1914, likely Neath, likely 2nd Battery. No 817.

Joined same time as 2 other Clyne men, Coslett Davies (818) & George Albert Jones (820)

Likely embodied 5/8/14

Likely Shrewsbury, Northampton, Cambridge & Bedford

817, WJ Owen, 2nd from Right

Bedfordshire Times & Independent, 18/6/1915 - Charged with driving without a rear red light - Bedford. Pte WJ Owen, Howitzer Brigade

France 21/22 Nov 1915

Likely Egypt Feb 1916

1939 Register: Territorial ARMY Driver 725 (not complete). 53 Div 439 Bty RFA

Transferred to 439 Bty, still part of 53 Div. From David Porter; 439 (H) Bty was formed at Kantara on April 8, 1918, it joined 267th Brigade, 53rd Division, as C (H)/267. It is known that 439 (H) Bty was formed from selected personnel from 53rd and 60th Divisional Artillery, plus 9th British Mountain Battery RGA, who took over the horses and equipment of C (H)/117 prior to joining 267th Brigade RFA.

Date Entered Theatre (MIC): 22/11/1915
First Theatre (MIC): (1) France
Sources: (ROLL)(MIC)(NEWS)(FAM)

Explanation Of Abbreviations

Awards

  • 14/15 – 1914/15 Star
  • BWM – British War Medal
  • VIC – Victory Medal
  • SWB – Silver War Badge
  • TFEM – Territorial Force (1908-1921)
  • TEM – Territorial Efficiency Medal (1921-1930)
  • TFWM – Territorial Force War Medal

Gallantry

  • MID – Mention In Dispatches
  • LG – London Gazette
  • MM – Military Medal
  • DCM – Distinguished Conduct Medal

Sources

  • ROLL – Medal Roll for British War Medal and Victory Medal (Ancestry.co.uk)
  • MIC – Medal Index Cards (Ancestry.co.uk)
  • SR – Service Record (Ancestry.co.uk)
  • SR-F – Service Record (FindMyPast.co.uk)
  • SR-NA – Service Record (National Archives) – officers
  • COMM – Commission letters (National Library of Wales)
  • SWB – Silver War Badge Records (Ancestry.co.uk)
  • PENS – Pension Records (Western Front Association/Fold3)
  • CWGC – Commonwealth War Grave Commission
  • RAA – Royal Artillery Attestations 1883 -1942 (FindMyPast.co.uk)
  • NEWS – Newspapers
  • CENS – Census Records (Ancestry.co.uk & FindMyPast.co.uk)
  • BFB – Briton Ferry Boys at the Front Fund Committee Records (swansea.gov.uk)
  • FAM – Family Records
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