William T. Owen - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Lieutenant colonel

Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...

William Taylor Owen (27 May 1905 – 29 July 1942) was an Australian soldier.

Owen was born in Nagambie, Victoria

Victoria (Australia)

Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

. He worked as a bank officer in civilian life and served as a Militia officer during the last years prior to the war.

Owen enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on 8 July 1940, with the service number VX45223. He was posted to the 2/22nd Infantry Battalion, with the rank of Major, in command of 'A' Company. The battalion was sent to Rabaul, on the island of New Britain

New Britain

New Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...

, in early 1941. This was the closest Australian base to the Japanese, and considered unlikely to be successfully defended. In late January 1942, the 1400-strong Rabaul

Rabaul

Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...

(Australian) garrison was quickly overwhelmed by the Japanese. Owen's 'A' Company was positioned at Vulcan beach, and bore the brunt of the main Japanese landing. After fighting for several hours, Owen ordered his men to break contact, as they would otherwise have been cut off.

With the remainder of the Australian garrison, Owen and his men escaped from Rabaul. They faced a harrowing battle for survival in the mountains and along the southern coast. More than 150 men were massacred after being taken prisoner around Tol and Waitavalo plantations, up to 100 others died of illnesses, and about 800 surrendered and were taken back to Rabaul by the Japanese. Owen was one of only 400 to get off New Britain. He arrived in Port Moresby

Port Moresby

Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...

and after a period of recuperation in Australia was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and assumed command of the 39th Battalion on 7 July 1942.

The 39th Battalion was preparing for deployment to the mountain village of Kokoda, as the first step in an Allied plan to occupy the north coast of Papua. The first troops departed the day after he assumed command. After the Japanese landed on the north coast on 21 July, Owen was flown up to Kokoda, from where 'B' Company was already engaging the enemy. Facing overwhelming odds, the Australians were pushed back. Owen ordered the burning of the supply dump at Kokoda and a retreat to Deniki. After realising the Japanese had not occupied Kokoda, he led his men back into the village in an attempt to reopen its airfield to receive reinforcements and supplies. The aircraft dispatched to Kokoda were not able to land. The Japanese started attacking in force on the evening of 28 July.

Owen was mortally wounded at 0300 hrs on the morning of 29 July 1942, as the Japanese stepped up their attacks on the dug-in Australians. He was shot just above the right eye while in his forward weapon pit. Taken back to a hut that was being used as an aid post, he was examined by the medical officer, Captain Geoffrey 'Doc' Vernon, his situation was deemed hopeless and when the Australians withdrew from their location at 0430 hrs. Due to the overwhelming odds, the Australians were compelled to retreat. As Owen could not be moved, he was cleaned up and left as comfortable as possible. The hut was shortly overrun by Japanese troops, and Owen is believed to have died in captivity shortly afterwards.

On 9 August, Owen's body was found and buried at Kokoda by members of 'A' Company, 39th Battalion, when they retook Kokoda for a short period between 8 and 10 August 1942. His body was later re-interred at Bomana War Cemetery, north-west of Port Moresby, following the Japanese withdrawal from the Kokoda Trail. He posthumously received the United States Distinguished Service Cross

Distinguished Service Cross (United States)

The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...

and was Mentioned in Despatches.

Bomana War Cemetery Gravestone Inscription

OWEN, Lieutenant Colonel, WILLIAM TAYLOR, VX45223. A.I.F. 39 Bn. Australian Infantry. 29 July 1942. Age 37. Son of William and Ida Owen; husband of Daisy Owen, of Kew, Victoria. C6. E. 4.

Bomana War Cemetery Gravestone Inscription

See also