Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War A.F.C. group of three awarded to Major H. L. H. Owen, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force, who after been brought down by an Ace of Jasta 5 in 1916 and wounded during ‘Bloody April’, was very seriously injured during an accident in October 1917. Despite the loss of an eye, a couple of fingers, and being partially deaf, he was back flying in April 1918 and commanding his Squadron by the end of the War

Air Force Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; British War and Victory Medals (Capt. H.L.H. Owen. R.A.F.) good very fine (3) £2,000-£2,400

A.F.C. London Gazette 2 November 1918.

Henry Leftwyth Hadden Owen was born in Louth, Lincolnshire, on 14 May 1889. Commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 2/4th Battalion, Dorset Regiment (Territorial Army) on 29 August 1914, he was promoted Lieutenant on 31 October 1914, serving as Adjutant. He served during the Great War in India and possibly in Mesopotamia with the 2/4 Dorsets, before being attached to the Royal Flying Corps to train as a pilot in 1916.

After completing pilot training on 17 September 1916 and being appointed Temporary Captain on 18 November 1916, Owen briefly served with 28 Squadron, before joining 18 Squadron in France. On 26 December 1916 Captain Owen, with observer Lieutenant R. Mayberry, flying FE2b A5453, were force landed in a shell hole and overturned after combat with German fighters. The victory was claimed by Lieutenant Renatus Theiller, a 12 victory Ace with Jasta 5. Owen and his observer were bruised but unharmed and were soon back flying. By 31 March 1917, Captain Owen had been appointed Flight Commander. However on 22 April 1917, he was wounded in the left knee by anti-aircraft fire during a patrol over Cambrai. This kept Owen away from his squadron for several months, though it seems he was back by September. On 28 October 1917, he had a very serious accident whilst based in the U.K. According to his medical notes, he had suffered a disability from bomb explosion on 28 October 1917 at Marham, Norfolk. No exact details have been found but it seems likely a crash resulted in a bomb going off, the result of which was that Owen lost his left eye, fore and middle fingers from his left hand ,and was slightly deaf in his left ear from the injury. His medical record also noted that he had been previously wounded in left knee in April 1917 (in combat), and that this had healed well.

Not to be put down and after 6 months in hospital, Captain Owen was pronounced fit enough for light duties with flying on 6 April 1918. He spent a couple of months with 19 Training Squadron, before joining 51 Squadron (Home Defence) in June 1918 and took command of it on 21 August 1918. He was promoted Acting Major in December 1918 and finally gave up command of the Squadron on 13 June 1919. He relinquished his Commission in August 1919, with the rank of Captain, and died on 31 October 1971.

Note: No recommendation has yet been found for the Air Force Cross. However, it is not a New Year’s Honours’ Award, and Major Owen was not a test pilot, so it is very likely that it was awarded for coming back from his injuries to lead a Squadron, since the recommendation would have been submitted in September or October 1918 

Sold with a large file containing the following original items: approximately 66 Great War aviation photographs, including several of Owen in uniform, in and around aircraft &c.; Training log book, map, congratulations letter for the Air Force Cross, various letters including details of combats &c.; 30 photographs from service with the Dorsets; and various copy research including the recipient’s Royal Air Force service record, wound reports &c.