John Aneurin Owen (not on the memorial) was born about 1897 the eldest of 3 children to Owen E. & Jane Owen (nee Parry) in Liverpool. There is an Owen Edward Owen and Jane Parry in Liverpool on the 1891 census. Could this be them? There is a recorded marriage of an Owen Edward Owen and a Jane Parry in Holywell, in the September Quarter of 1896. Jane had been born in Llanasa. It was a Civil Marriage, (Flintshire (Mold) HOL/24/E96).
The 1901 census records the family living at 45, Conyers St., Kirkdale, Lancashire. Head of the household was Owen E. Owen, 32, a Cotton Porter at the Docks he had been born in Llanelltyd, Merioneth His wife Jane, 31 had been born in Llanasa, Flintshire. Their two John A 4 and Annie, 2 had both been born in Liverpool.
The family had moved to Owen’s own county according to the 1911 census. They were living at Frefgerig, Dolgelley, Brithdir and Islawrdref, Merionethshire. They were all bilingual. Owen, O.E., 42 was then a Farmer, Jane was 41. They had been married 15 years, and 3 children had been born, all still living. They were Aneurin, 14, working on the farm, Annie, 12 and Glyn 8 both at school.
UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk includes an entry for for Owen, John Aneurin. It tells us tell us that his birth and residence was Ffynnon Groew, Flint and that he enlisted in Holywell. It confirms the regimental information above, and also tells us that he was formerly in the Royal Welsh Fusliers, Regimental No. 3893..
There is a Flintshire Roll of Honour, index card for John Anuerin. It is filed with the Ffynongroyw cards in The County Record office in Hawarden. (Ffynnongreow F13), The address given is London House, Ffynnongreow. It confirms his rank and regimental number as Private 54612 in the Machine Gun Corps. The card tells us that he served from April. 1916 to August 1918. It says that he Died of wounds at Warley (Warloy- Baillon) on the 1st August 1818. The card was signed by Annie Owen on 12th March 1920.(His sister?)
The UK, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 in which the Army calculated what moneys were owed to deceased soldiers, includes an entry for Owen J Anuerin. It says that the sole Legatee was his father Owen E. Owen who was paid £19 9s 1d on the 21st January 1919 and his War Gratuity of £10 on the 5th January 1920
John A Owen in the British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 does not tell us his first Theatre of War nor when he entered it.
NB Sgt Thomas William Jones, who is listed on the Llanasa memorial was married to Mary Jones (nee Parry). She was the younger sister of Jane Parry, the mother of Anauerin
There is a J.A Owen remembered on the Bangor Memorial Arch – http://www.bangorcivicsociety.org.uk/pages/arch/DSCF4394.htm
