Sgt. Robert Edward Owen
Australian Army 2/17th Battalion
from:St Kilda, Victoria, Australia
My father Robert Owen volunteered for military service on 11th of November 1939 and was enlisted as an infantryman on 7th of December 1939 at Number 7 Drill Hall, Chapel Street, East St Kilda. He was living at 1 Te-Arai Avenue, St Kilda ,East Victoria, Australia at that time and was working as an Insurance Inspector.
On 15th of April 1940 he arrived in Khartoum as part of the 2/17th Army Infantry Battalion. He subsequently served in Palestine, North Africa and Crete as Corporal in charge of a motorised Vickers Machine Gun Unit. He was reported missing in action during August 1942. On 27th of October 1942 the Red Cross advised Australian Forces that he had been taken Prisoner of War and moved Stalag VIIIB Lansdorf. He was subsequently moved to Stalag 383 Hohenfels where he spent the remainder of the War. Whilst at Hohenfels he undertook and completed a Degree in Psychology via a programme operated by Edinburgh University through the Red Cross. He was also painted by the camp artist Ron Nethercote.
On 10th of April 1945 the camp was liberated and by 13th of May 1945 he was moved to the UK. He was billeted in Eastbourne, Sussex until 22nd September 1945 when he left for Melbourne via Gibraltar arriving home on 17th October 1945. He was discharged as a Sergeant on 3rd December 1945 to his sister's address in Brighton Victoria. He was entitled to the following medals, 1939/45 Star, Africa Star, Defence Medal, War Medal and the Australia Service Medal, however he never requested them.
