Douglas Owen was was in the Royal Naval Reserves before the war and joined the Admiralty in the accounts department. He moved with the Admiralty from London to Bath but was originally from a farming family in Newport. Learning to shoot from an early age he was well accustomed to weapons. After being transferred from Bath to Roysth , Douglas was then posted to Malta where he spent the rest of the war. Working all his life for the Admiralty he returned to Bath many times.
At the time of a reunion in January 1950 he is living at 76 Balmoral Road, Gillingham, Kent and he is on the committee of 203rd GHQ Reserve (Bath Admiralty) Association.
In 2019 Dougie was interviewed by Jack Reeves and Joe Dyer from Plymouth University.
Dougie sadly died in 2022 aged 101. A Thanksgiving service was arranged in August to celebrate his active and interesting life. He had requested the day be light, joyful and uplifting. From the packed church, guests travelled to a golf club where the celebrations for his life continued; many stories were shared, and new ones recounted, including a few fishy ones! He would have loved the day, in the company of his friends and family, with a glass of red wine in his hand!
| Unit or location | Role | Posted from | until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admiralty 1 (Kelston Park) Patrol | Patrol member | 05 Jul 1940 | 01 Oct 1942 |
| Admiralty 2 (Langridge) Patrol | Patrol Leader | 01 Oct 1942 | 01 Feb 1943 |
Civil servant Admiralty signalman RNVR
His ID in 1939 is XGTD 161/4. He was transferred to Rosyth Home Guard 15th February 1943.
TNA ref WO199/3391
1939 Register
Reunion letter from F. Bradbury 25 Jan 1950
The late Dougie Owen and his daughter Belinda Parham.