Wilfred Owen - significant places to visit?

[John_Hartley]

A relative is hoping to do a battlefield tour with the focus on Owen.

Other than his burial at Ors, and the action there, I'm at a loss and know little about his service history. Any thoughts about where she might include on a short trip? Scenes of other major actions? Anything related to his MC award?

TIA

John

[kenf48]

Wifred Owen Association

http://www.wilfredowen.org.uk/virtual-tour

Ken

[John_Hartley]

DOH!

Many thanks, Ken.

[The Scorer]

It looks as if it's a separate thing to the Association, but this place might also be of use: http://www.wilfredowenstory.com/index.html.

I haven't been there, so I don't know what it's like, but it might be worth your relative making contact to see if they can help.

[Frajohn]

John

Below is a link to the Nord tourist site

http://www.tourisme-nord.com/Visit-Northern-France/Listes-des-actus-bon-plan/REMEMBRANCE-TRAIL-Wilfred-Owen-in-Ors-and-The-Battle-of-Fromelles

At the end of the section headed 'Following inWilfred Owen's Footsteps' there is a 'click here' which will download a pdf file of a walking trail around Ors detailing Wilfred Owen.

Kind regards

John

[cullbaggie]

i know each to their own, but i was quite dissapointent by Wilfred Owens burial place. in my minds eye i had imagined him being in a war cemetery! not as he is in the towns cemetry extention. i know its purely my own thoughts

[John_Hartley]

Is there a reason for the disappointment, cullbaggie? He's in good company there - not least the chap who was born just up the road from where I live - James Kirk, VC.

[cullbaggie]

Is there a reason for the disappointment, cullbaggie? He's in good company there - not least the chap who was born just up the road from where I live - James Kirk, VC.

i prefer battlefield cemetries! i know its near the canal where they died - but i would have been happier if it was next to the canal towpath!!

other people will probabaly disagree

[Ghazala]

Your relative might like this little anecdote John....

Wilfred Owen died 4th November 1918 whilst crossing the Sambre Canal

I had gone down to my cabin thinking to write some letters, Harold Owen, brother of the poet Wilfred, wrote of an experience while serving on HMS Astraea.

To my amazement I saw Wilfred sitting in my chair . . .He did not rise and I saw that he was involuntarily immobile, but his eyes which had never left mine were alive with the familiar look of trying to make me understand . . . I went into a deep oblivious sleep. When I woke up I knew with absolute certainty that Wilfred was dead.

[John_Hartley]

Thanks for the various extras, folks. I think it comes together nicely. Which is just as well, as I now appear to have been appointed head driver and tour guide.

[KIRKY]

Presume you will also be visiting various eating places as well??

Tony

[John_Hartley]

Needless to say, mate. And decent hotels as well - the rellie doesnt do cheap & cheerful.

[Terry Carter]

There was a television documentary a few years ago concerning a dig on former trenches next to Serre Road No.2 Cemetery. A relative of Owen's was taken there and interviewed because it was possibly a British outpost in the winter mud of January 1917 and inspired Owen to write a poem which I cannot recall at moment.

Terry

[John_Hartley]

Tom Morgan PM's me with a photo of the dugout field next to Serre 2 and tells me the poem is "The Sentry". Should be perfect for the rellie.

I think that, with some more general Somme "highlights", I can do the following Owen places easily:

Serre

St Quentin (where he was immediately before being hospitalised)

Joncourt (site of his MC action)

Ors (where KIA)

We'll also have a couple of days at Ieper. The rellie is bound to want to go chocolate shopping.

[Terry Carter]

The dugout was a little further in the field by the small memorial to the three soldiers whose remains were found during the excavation

[Jack Sheldon]

John

Have a look at my Germans at Beaumont Hamel Battleground book. I wrote it at the time that the dig looking for the dugout which inspired 'The Sentry' was being carried out, so there are some relevant photos in it and, in addition, a contemporary map which will enable you to place the forward edge of the Heidenkopf accurately.

Jack

[The Scorer]

There are two places in the UK which I think are worth visiting to find out more about the life of Wilfred Owen.

The first is the "Wilfred Owen Story" in Argyll Street, Birkenhead. This is a museum dedicated to the time that he spent (with his family) in Birkenhead as a boy; it's quite small, but does have some interesting things to see.

The second is the "Wilfred Owen Trail" in Oswestry, Shropshire, when he was born. This is a selection of 13 places which are connected with the Owen family, although some are more about the family than about Wilfred himself. The leaflet shows a trail that can be followed around the town and gives some information about each one.

I didn't look at the Birkenhead War Memorial to see if he's listed on it, but strangely he's not listed on the Oswestry memorial, despite this being part of the trail I mention above.

[Michelle Young]

The Helen McPhail and Philip Guest Battleground Europe book on Owen is useful with sites and suggested walks. Did a fair bit of Owen trail in March.

[The Scorer]

I didn't look at the Birkenhead War Memorial to see if he's listed on it, but strangely he's not listed on the Oswestry memorial, despite this being part of the trail I mention above.

I've now had a look at the photos I took of the Birkenhead War Memorial to see if hei name is on there.

I think that, surprisingly, he isn't listed. Although I can't be absolutely sure (because the image in question is of the whole plaque and not just the individual part when the "Owen's" are listed), it doesn't look as if any of the "Owen's" have the initial W.

[John_Hartley]

Carlscam.com has no listing of him on the Birkenhead memorial (or any other Cheshire memorials)