Henry Owens : Volunteering 1939 - Capture 1940
The Experiences of Prisoner of War No. 14704
Henry Owens – Gunner Artificer, RA
These accounts are in Henry Owens' own words,
compiled by his son, Robert Owens, in November 2001.
Volunteering, August 1939 - Capture, St. Valery, June 1940
"My Dear Sister Rene,
I was delighted to receive last week two letters from you dated Nov 18th. Your letter recalls to me our childhood days, you were my big sister, and I believe you understand me more than anyone else in the family. Times have changed, years have passed, I have seen at least six continental countries since we last met. We had a hard time of it in France, both in the Maginot and on the Somme, but the unshakable confidence you and the rest of the family placed in me undoubtedly helped me when things seemed hopeless." - Henry Owens
I was born in Collingwood Street, Birkenhead, on 30th September 1917, five months after my father James had been killed in action in the First World War, whilst serving with the Australian forces in France. My mother was left a widow at 25, with three boys and two girls to look after. Times were hard in the aftermath of the Great War, although she did receive a War Pension from the Australian government.
When I was about five years old, my mother met and married William (Billy) Neville. They had two daughters. He was a splendid father to his daughters, and stepfather to us. Tragically, he was killed as a result of the Blitz in 1940. I was educated at Woodlands Infant School, and later at Conway Street Central School, which I left at the age of fourteen to take a job as an errand boy with a firm of weighing machine engineers. At the age of 16 I went across the Mersey to Liverpool, where I began my apprenticeship.
|
| Henry Owens (top left), Le Havre |
War clouds were looming, and in June 1939 I joined the Territorial Army 289 Battery, 38 Regiment Heavy Anti-Aircraft Royal Artillery, based at Chetwynd Drill Hall Bidston, as an artificer (gun fitter). On August 24th 1939 we were re-mustered and sent to a designated gun site at Sutton Weaver in Cheshire. The site was a clover field. We had to cut the grass, erect huts, lay on our own water and electricity supply, position and camouflage the guns, and sandbag - all at breakneck speed. It was damned hard work, but we enjoyed it, and we were ready, when war was declared on September 3rd, to give Hitler a “bloody nose”.
During the period of the “Phoney War” we perfected our gun drill, and were sent to a firing range at Ty-Croes in North Wales for actual gun firing - at a “sleeve” towed by a plane. We always worried we would hit the plane instead. Early in January 1940 I was called to the adjutant‟s office, where I was told I was to be posted to the 51st Anti-Tank Regiment, 201 Battery, 51st Division based at Bordon in Hampshire, as they were short of gun fitters.
Back to... Foreword,
by Robert Owens
Forward to... page 2 of 2 :
Volunteering 1939 - Capture 1940