Pte 52163 Harry Owen

• Age: 21
• From: Hulme, Manchester
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Wednesday 18th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Harry Owen was born in Hulme, Manchester on 30th May 1895, the youngest son of Thomas Owen and his wife Martha (nee Owen) who married on the 15th July 1883 at Holy Trinity Church, Hulme. Thomas, born in Chester, was aged 25, a tin case maker of 25 Upper Duke St, father Samuel, whilst Martha, born in Manchester, was aged 28, same address, father William. They had six children, all boys, and his brothers were Thomas, George (who died age 6), James (died age 2), William, and Arthur. Harry was baptised also at Holy Trinity on the 10th July 1895. 

The family lived at 64 Warde Street in Hulme from at least 1891.   

In 1901 his father is 42, a packing case maker, his mother is 45, children born Manchester: Thomas is 17, a saddler, William is 10, Arthur 8, and Harry 5. They also have a boarder Percy Lewis aged 16. 

His father died on the 11th Sept 1910, aged 52. 

The 1911 Census shows the family are still living at 64 Warde Street, Manchester.

His mother Martha is a widow, aged 55, born 1856 and advises that she had been married for 28 years, had six children of which two died (entry crossed out). All the children being born in Manchester.  Listed in the household are; Thomas aged 27, born 1884 occupation saddler, William aged 22, born 1891 is a tin packing case maker, Arthur aged 18, born 1893 is a grey cloth manufacturers clerk and Harry aged 15, occupation pawnbroker's assistant.  

Prior to the outbreak of the war, Harry was employed by a Mr Jones of Tamworth Street, Hulme.

He enlisted in Manchester and served initially as Private 2994 with the Manchester Regiment. His regimental number suggests that he enlisted in August/September 1914 (length of service supported by the amount of the War Gratuity).  This number was assigned to men of the 11th/12th/13th battalions of the Manchester Regiment. No 1914-1915 Star has been found, indicating that he arrived overseas some time in 1916.  His Medal Roll shows only service overseas with the 19th K.L.R.  

Following a transfer he was serving in the 19th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 52163 when he was killed in action on the 18th October 1916, aged 21, during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

18^th Bn Diary

18^th October 1916

Attacked German trenches commencing 3.40 am. Relieved by 19^th Manchester Regt. Took up position in support Bn trenches W. of Goose Alley.

Graham Maddocks in his book Liverpool Pals gives an overview of the events of the day:

“At 3.40 am the whistles blew, and the Battalion left its assembly trenches, in three waves, approximately fifty yards apart, and began to cross No Man’s Land. Almost immediately, the German Barrage fell on the first wave and halted its advance, so that the second wave soon caught up with it. This was not a great problem at first, and the two combined waves were able to advance together for about 300 yards, whereupon they encountered the German Grid Trench system. On the right of the advance, it was found that the wire was largely intact, apart from a few gaps, and the Germans bombed and machine gunned these gaps, which prevented any further progress. Elsewhere along the trench, however, the wire was cut and there did not seem to be any serious opposition. Nevertheless, the men hesitated to jump down into the German trenches, and instead, began to filter back across to the safety of their own lines.

By this time the third wave had caught up, as had a fourth wave, which had been detailed to mop up any opposition once the trenches had fallen, and all four waves became intermingled which added to the confusion. No less than three attempts were made to try to get the men to go forward again, but each attempt became markedly less successful than its predecessor, and eventually the attack came to a standstill. Although the British assembly trenches had received the attention of the German guns, the attackers in No Mans Land had not come under any great intensity of fire up until this point.

However, once it became obvious to the Germans that the attack was disorganised and faltering, they began to fire into the massed men from the flanks. It was probably this that finally settled the issue and convinced the Pals that they could no longer gain the enemy trenches, and all four waves, now merged into one, began to retreat to their own lines. The whole attack had been an abysmal failure, and no ground had been gained at all”.            

Harry has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916. 

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.” 

His loved ones paid tribute in the Manchester Evening News on 09th November 1916: 

“Owen - Private Harry, 52163 Manchester Regiment, attached King’s Liverpool Regiment, killed in action October 18, 1916. - From his sorrowing Mother and Brothers, 64 Warde Street, Hulme.

  No one knows how much we miss him,

    No, not one on earth can tell;

  Only dear ones left behind him,

    Only those who loved him well.”

“Owen - Private Harry, 52163 Manchester Regiment, attached King’s Liverpool Regiment, killed in action October 18, 1916.  

  Sleep on, dear Harry, in a far-off grave,

    In a grave I shall never see;

  As long as life and memory lasts

    I shall always think of thee.

From his sorrowing sweetheart, Elsie.”

On the first anniversary of his death, his loved ones placed In Memoriam notices:

“In loving memory of my dear son and brother, Private Harry Owen, killed in action in France October 18, 1916, age 21.

  His tender words and smiling face

    Are pleasant to recall;

  He had a loving word for all

    And died beloved by all.

Sadly missed by his sorrowing Mother, Brothers, and Elsie. - 64 Warde Street, Hulme.”

“In loving memory of Private H. Owen, 52163, killed in action October 18, 1916.  Some day we will meet again. - Deeply mourned by his sweetheart Elsie.”

Manchester Evening News - Tuesday 11 September 1917 

OWEN—ln loving memory of my dear husband and father, THOMAS OWEN, who died September 11, 1910.  

There is a link death cannot sever; 

Love and remembrance last for ever. 

WIFE and SONS, 64, Warde-street, Hulme. 

On the first anniversary of his death, his loved ones placed In Memoriam notices in the Manchester Evening News - Thursday 18 October 1917: 

And in the Manchester Evening News - Friday 18 October 1918: 

“In loving memory of our dear brother, Private Harry Owen, 19th King’s Liverpools, killed in action at Flers, France, October 18, 1916. 

When the great day breaks we shall meet together once more. From his loving brother and sister Tom and Gertie.
 

"I think of you dear brother, no eyes can see me weep, many a silent tear I shed while others are asleep".  From his loving brother Will. 

"His smiling face and cheerful ways bring back memories of such happy days" From his loving brother and sister Arthur and Alice, 64 Warde Street., Hulme.”

“In loving memory of Private H. Owen, 52163, killed in action October 18, 1916. 

God takes the loved ones from our homes but never from our hearts.  Aunt, Uncle, and Cousin Elsie, 83 Pollard St. 

His Army pay went to his mother and brother Arthur, and the War Gratuity of £9 was shared between his brothers Thomas, William, and Arthur.  

Arthur attested in December 1915, and was mobilised in June 1916. He was sent to France in December 1916, but returned home less than three months later, in March 1917 with valvular disease of the heart. He was discharged in August 1917 with a  Silver War Badge and a partial pension.  

The pension card in the name of his mother Martha, at 64 Warde Street, does not indicate whether a pension was awarded. She died in April 1918, aged 62. 

Harry is commemorated on the family headstone in Southern Cemetery, Manchester -          

           ALSO PTE. HARRY OWEN

               SON OF THE ABOVE

      19TH KINGS LIVERPOOL REGT.

  KILLED IN FRANCE OCT. 18TH 1916

                IN HIS 22ND YEAR

THE SUPREME SACRIFICE - HIS LIFE

We currently have no further information on Harry Owen, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.