Private Harry Owen. 

2318 1/5th East Lancashire Regiment.

Died of Wounds 1st December 1915, aged 20.

Harry was born in the Sept quarter of 1895 in Burnley. The son of William Owen and Harriet Taylor. In the 1901 census the family lived at 7 Thornybank St, Burnley. William 33 labourer, Harriet 34, William 15, Fred 14, Mary 11, Annie 9, John 2 and Harry 5. All were born in Burnley.

By 1911 the family had moved to 51 Hart St, Burnley. William 43, Harriet 44, Mary 21, Annie 19 Harry 15 and Jack 12. His parents had been married 25 years and had had 8 children 3 of whom had died.

From The Express and Advertiser dated 24th December 1915:  THIRD HIT FATAL. BROTHER SENDS HOME SAD MESSAGE.

Within 2-days two Burnley brothers enlisted in the local Territorial Regiment, and now one has had the unpleasant duty of informing his parents that the other had been killed. 

On Wednesday morning Mr Owen of 51 Hart Street Burnley, received the following letter dated December 6th from his son Tom: "dear parents, I am very sorry to have to let you know that our Harry has been killed in action on December 1st. It made me very upset but you can rest assured that he got a decent burial, as I saw it. Dear parents, he did not suffer much, he only lived about 10 minutes after being hit."

Private Harry Owen who worked at Messrs' Grimshaw's Keirby Brewery and was aged 20 joined the 1st Battalion of the Burnley Territorials, and his brother Tom joined the day after, being placed in the 2nd battalion.   He had been twice previously wounded in the face, the last occasion being on September 24th. His comrade Private M Kelly another Burnley member of the Battalion, in a letter states he carried Private Owen out of the trenches, the soldier passing away peacefully.

Lived at 51 Hart Street.

Harry left his effects to his mother Harriet.

Harry was buried in Twelve Tree Copse Cemetery, Gallipoli: Grave Ref; Special Memorial C.156.