Medals to the R.F.C. and R.A.F. from the Collection Formed by the Late Squadron Leader David Haller

Family group:

Three: Pilot Officer P. R. Owen, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who was killed in a collision with a Spitfire while serving as a pilot in No. 44 Squadron in August 1941
1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; War Medal 1939-45, together with the recipient’s Air Ministry condolence and issuance slips, in the name of ‘Pilot Officer P. R. Owen’, and original card forwarding box addressed to ‘W. Owen, Esq., 27, Landsdown Place, Cheltenham, Glos.’, extremely fine

Pair: Ordinary Seaman W. Owen, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
British War and Victory Medals (L.Z. 6577 W. Owen, Ord., R.N.V.R.), good very fine (5) £200-250

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals to the R.F.C. and R.A.F. from the Collection Formed by the Late Squadron Leader David Haller.

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Patrick Richard Owen was born in Southgate, Middlesex, in April 1920, the only son of William and Phoebe Owen - his father’s family originally came from Llanfechell, Anglesey. Enlisting in the Royal Air Force in October 1939, he was selected for pilot training and, on gaining his “Wings” and being commissioned as a Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in the summer of 1941, was posted to No. 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron, then operating in Hampdens out of R.A.F. Waddington.

Having then completed seven operational sorties as a 2nd Pilot, including two trips to Kiel and a daylight bombing mission to Omer airfield, he was killed during a night flying test on 31 August 1941, when his Hampden was in collision with a Spitfire piloted by Pilot Officer W. R. Hughes of No. 412 Squadron - both aircraft crashed to the ground and all aircrew were killed. Owen was buried in Lincoln (Newport) Cemetery.

Sold with a file of research.



William Owen was born in Llanfechell, Anglesey, in August 1891, and joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve as an Ordinary Seaman in May 1917. His subsequent appointments were largely in connection with R.N. accountancy bases, although he was employed at the Dover Auxiliary Patrol base Attentive III in July-November 1918. He was demobilised in January 1919.

Sold with copied service record.