Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: attributed to Squadron Leader J. N. ‘Taff’ Owen, D.F.C., Royal Air Force, a Blenheim and Mosquito pilot, who flew in at least 59 operational sorties, was shot down whilst serving with 113 Squadron in the Middle East, 9 December 1940, and went on to serve as a Marker pilot with 105 (Path Finder) Squadron

1939-45 Star; Africa Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with related mounted miniature awards which include the D.F.C., and 10 sports prize medals, all of which are in cases of issue, 4 are named to the recipient (with second initial varying between ‘H’, ‘M’ and ‘N’), and the Royal Tournament Medal reverse being engraved ‘R.A.F. Coastal Area Tug Of War 110 Stone Lee-On-Solent L.A.C. Owen J. H. 1935’, generally very fine or better (lot) £80-£120

D.F.C. London Gazette 22 May 1945:

‘Flight Lieutenant Own has now completed 59 sorties 36 of these were completed on Blenheim aircraft from June to December 1940 against such targets as Tobruk, Benghazi, Sollum and Bardia in the Mediterranean.

Since joining Path Finder Force in October 1944, Flight Lieutenant Owen has carried out a further 23 sorties, 9 of them being in the role of marker for main force bombers.

He has at all times shown considerable knowledge as a pilot encountering the hazards of poor flying weather with great skill. The courage and tenacity of purpose that he has displayed in all his sorties has been very evident in his more recent ones against heavily defended targets in Germany itself.’

John Noel Owen initially served during the Second War as a Sergeant Pilot with the Royal Air Force. He was commissioned Pilot Officer in June 1940, and served with 113 Squadron (Blenheims) at Maaten Bagush, Egypt. He flew in 36 operational sorties with the Squadron, mainly bombing raids on Italian bases in Libya, until being shot down, 9 December 1940. Owen was injured, whilst the two other members of the crew were killed.

Owen returned to operational flying with 105 Squadron (Mosquitoes) at Bourn as part of No. 8 Group, for path finder duties from October 1944. He flew in at least 23 operational sorties with the Squadron, including at least 9 as Marker for the main force - for raids such as on Mainz, Hanover and Duisburg.