Arthur Owen – Royal Air Force

 Corporal Arthur Owen – Royal Air Force

Birth and Family Background

Arthur Owen

Arthur Owen was born in 1909 at Newton, Mumbles. He was the son of Thomas Owen and Winifred Howell, who were married in 1898.

1911 Census

At the time of the 1911 Census, the Owen family were residing at 5 Nottage, Newton, Mumbles. Thomas Owen (32) was employed as a general labourer, and his wife Winifred (33) undertook household duties. Their children were Edith (11), John (8), Florence (5), and Arthur (2).

1921 Census

By the 1921 Census, the family had moved to 17 Nottage Road, Newton. Thomas J. Owen (44) was employed as a platelayer with the Swansea Harbour Trust, while Winifred (44) continued with household duties. Their remaining children were John (18), a general labourer in the building trade employed by Tucker Builders, Florence Mary (15), who undertook household duties, and Arthur (12), who was attending school.

Marriage

In 1934, Arthur Owen married Florence Margaret Doreen Kingdon.

Military Service, Award, and Death

Arthur served as a Corporal with the Royal Air Force. During the Second World War, he was attached to a Base Signals and Radar Unit, serving aboard Landing Ship Tank 420.

South Wales Evening Post 

In 1942, Arthur Owen was awarded the British Empire Medal (Military Division) in recognition of meritorious service with the Royal Air Force. The award was reported in the South Wales Evening Post at the time, which noted the honour as a mark of his devotion to duty and valuable wartime service in a specialist role.

By late 1944, LST 420 was operating in the English Channel and southern North Sea as part of the Allied logistical effort supporting the North-West Europe campaign following the Normandy landings. These vessels were vital in transporting troops, vehicles, equipment, and specialist personnel between Britain and the newly liberated ports of Belgium and the Netherlands, particularly after the capture of Antwerp and during operations connected with the Scheldt estuary.

Although Allied forces had achieved air superiority, the waters off the Belgian coast, especially near Ostend and the Middelkerke Bank, remained extremely hazardous. German forces had laid extensive naval minefields, and drifting or newly laid mines continued to endanger shipping. Severe weather conditions further increased the risk, reducing visibility and complicating navigation and minesweeping operations.

On 7^th November 1944, while on active service, LST 420 struck a naval mine near the Middelkerke Bank, off Ostend, Belgium. The explosion caused catastrophic damage, and the vessel was sunk. Among those who lost their lives were personnel from several branches of the armed forces, including Royal Air Force members attached to communications and radar duties, such as Corporal Arthur Owen.

The sinking of LST 420 highlights the continuing dangers faced by Allied service personnel even in the later stages of the war. Mine warfare remained one of the deadliest threats at sea, and losses from such incidents were a stark reminder that the conflict was far from over in November 1944.

Commemoration

Arthur Owen
Runnymede Memorial, Surrey
credit - findagrave

Arthur Owen has no known grave, and his name is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, which honours airmen of the Commonwealth who died during the Second World War and whose place of burial is unknown