A post-war O.B.E. group of six awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel R. E. Owen, Royal Engineers The M...

A post-war O.B.E. group of six awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel R. E. Owen, Royal Engineers

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Officer's (O.B.E.) breast Badge, Military Division, silver-gilt; 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Efficiency Medal, Territorial, G.VI.R. (Lt. R. E. Owen), mounted as worn, contact marks, very fine (6)

O.B.E. London Gazette 13 June 1959, the original recommendation states:

'This officer has had many years service in the TA having joined prior to the 1939/45 war and when the TA was reformed, he transferred to the 101 Field Engineer Regiment for the 43 Division in 1949 becoming Second-in-Command of the Field Park Squadron which he later commanded prior to becoming S.O.R.E. II at Division and Second-in-Command of the Regiment, finally taking Command in 1957.

During the whole of this period with the Unit he has always set a very high standard of efficiency and has devoted every available moment of his spare time to the interests of the Regiment to the exclusion of all other outside activities and his own private affairs.

Apart from his normal duties as a Regimental Officer he has done much, if not more, than any other Officer to foster the Regimental activities, with the result that at last year's Annual Training a very large percentage of the Other Ranks wives and families stayed in the vicinity of the camp and were brought as much as possible into the Regimental life during training, and this has had a great effect on general moral.

Since 1949 the Regiment has had a close association with the Cadets of Alleyn School from whom a number of recruits have been obtained. During his period of Command, Colonel Owen has fostered this relationship with Alleyn Cadets and some 40 of them attended training with the Regiment last year. Colonel Owen took a great personal interest in these Cadets during training and undoubtedly this will prove to the benefit of the Regiment in years to come.

Any TA Regimental Officer has to give a considerable amount of time to his Unit if it is to be efficient but for more than ten years now Colonel Owen has done far more and the present high morale within the Regiment is in no small part due to his own personality, leadership and efforts.'

Richard Edward Owen was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on 28 January 1942 with the Royal Engineers. Further advanced Captain in 1949 he was awarded his Territorial Efficiency Medal the next year in 1950. Promoted Major in 1953 and Lieutenant-Colonel in 1957. He was advanced Colonel and was awarded his Efficiency Decoration on 17 January 1961. Owen retired on 31 March 1967 and later that year was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London on 8 November. At the time he was living at The Pines, 1 Hartfield Crescent, West Wickham; sold together with copied London Gazette extracts and an award recommendation.

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