In memory of John Elwyn Owen
John Elwyn Owen was born at Pont Cyfyng, Capel Curig, in September 1921, writes his nephew James Roach. John’s father, Owen Robert Owen, was manager of the Rhos slate quarry. His mother Mary Olwen Owen was the local primary school teacher.
After attending the village’s Council School and the County School in Llanrwst, John did some teaching practice in Betws-y-coed. He planned to gain teaching qualifications at Coleg Normal, Bangor, but war intervened. He volunteered to join the RAF, where he trained as an aircraft fitter.
He became a Flight Engineer for Lancaster bombers, taking part in bombing raids from April 1943 onwards. On 3 July 1943 he was on board Lancaster ED 689 of No.9 Squadron as it took off from RAF Bardney, Lincolnshire. It had a second pilot, taking the crew to eight rather than the usual seven.
ED 689 was one of hundreds of RAF planes tasked with bombing the east bank of the Rhine at Cologne that night. On approaching the target area, ED 689 was shot down. It hit the ground near Poll, a suburb of Cologne. All eight crew lost their lives. Only two of the bodies could be recovered for burial.
John’s name is displayed on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, which commemorates more than 20,000 airforce men and women who died in the Second World War and have no known grave. He is also named on the Llanrwst school war memorial.
Return to Capel Curig war memorial page
