William Owen has not been identified. Those that died during the war with the name “William Owen” totalled no less than 102 in the Army (of which 42 had no middle name or initial) and three each in the Royal Navy and Mercantile Marine; but once again none were found to have a connection to Buckley.
What we know about William Owen:
- Identified as William on the Memorial (and distinct from Wilfred Owens)
- Not on the roll of honour for those who had joined up by Oct 1914
- Not found in County of Flint index for those who died (but we know this has only 70 names vs. 114 on Memorial)
- Not found in the Absent Voters’ List for men serving in Spring 1918, among approx. 420 men from Buckley
- Found on Bistre Church memorial among 67 “men of this parish”
- Not found on any other town/village memorials
- No connection to Buckley seen in Soldiers Died
- Not found in Buckley monumental inscriptions
- Various possible men of suitable age in the pre war censuses have been found to be alive in 1921, or military records have not been found
- Not found in response to various requests for information in local publications