Grave of missing World War Two soldier located 80 years after his death

Tracy the grand-daughter of Cpl Owens with the military party and official representatives behind the headstone (Crown copyright).

The grave of a soldier of the Middlesex Regiment who lost his life in Italy during World War Two has been identified and rededicated 80 years after his death.

The rededication service for Corporal (Cpl) John Owens took place on 15 October 2024 at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Anzio War Cemetery in Italy, organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC).

John Alfred Owens was born in Southwark, London on 16 December 1911 to Harry Owens, a milkman, and his wife Louisa. In 1912 John’s sister Amy was born, and a younger brother – Alfred – followed in 1919.

John joined the Territorial Army in 1929; he was 18 years old and working as a tool maker. His Army records describe him as having a fresh complexion with brown eyes and dark hair.

In 1933 he married Violet Maud Dennis in Brentford, and they had three children – Doreen, Sidney and Barbara. He left the Territorial Army in 1935.

In 1938 John re-joined the army, and in 1939 following the outbreak of war he was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal, and then Corporal. He was on home defence duties during the early years of the war, until in May 1943 he embarked for North Africa in preparation for the invasion of Italy. His unit, Middlesex Regiment’s 2/7 Battalion were machine gunners supporting infantry troops.

Cpl John Alfred Owens with his wife and children (courtesy of his family), Cpl Owens' new headstone with memorial crosses from his daughter and grandchildren (Crown copyright).

By January 1944, John had arrived in Italy, and by the end of the month he was in the Anzio area. On the night of 3 to 4 February 1944 there was a German counterattack during which a small armoured vehicle and gun stores were left behind so the men could safely escape. Early on the morning of the 4th, Cpl Owens, along with another man, Pte Harris volunteered to recover the gun carrier and other items but went missing in the process.

Pte Harris was taken prisoner by the Germans during this action. An Army investigation concluded Cpl Owens had been wounded and taken prisoner, dying in enemy hands on or shortly after the 4 February.

Following his death, he was buried near Campoleone station at Aprilla alongside two other men. In August 1944, all three were recovered and moved to the Anzio War Cemetery. The other two men both had personal artefacts which allowed them to be identified, but John could only be identified as a Corporal of the Middlesex Regiment.

Recently a team of independent researchers submitted evidence to the CWGC hoping to have located the final resting place of Cpl Owens. This research was reviewed, and extra work was conducted by the National Army Museum and JCCC which concluded that now, 80 years after his death, it was possible to clearly identify where he was buried.

JCCC Caseworker, Alexia Clark, said:
“Researching Cpl Owens and getting to know his war story has been a fascinating journey. It has been a privilege to have played a part in the conclusion of that stories and to know that his family finally have answers to what happened to him all those years ago.”

Director for Central and Southern Europe at the CWGC, Geert Bekaert, said:
"We give our heartfelt thanks to the team of researchers, the National Army Museum and of course the JCCC, in working with us to help identify this brave soldier's grave. We will care for his grave and commemorate all who are buried in the beautiful grounds of Anzio War Cemetery."

Padre David Anderson leads the service for Cpl Owens (Crown copyright).