Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Frank Timaru Owers was born on 1 December 1895 at Timaru, the sixth child and the third surviving son of David and Elizabeth Ellen (née Binskin) Owers. He was baptized on 4 February 1896 at St Mary’s Church, Timaru, both his parents being sponsors. Frank started at Waimataitai School in 1901 and left for Southbridge in mid-1902. Having transferred to Richmond School, Christchurch in 1907, he left there for work just after his fourteenth birthday.

“Sapper F. T. Owers, a member of the staff of Messrs Andrews and Beaven, Limited, who is leaving with the reinforcements for the New Zealand Field Engineers, was presented by his fellow-workers with a companion outfit. Mr F. Andrews, Jun., on behalf of the firm, presented Sapper Owers with a set of prismatic binoculars.” [Star, 2 February 1915.] Frank enlisted on 3 February 1915 at Trentham, being not 20 years old. He had served with the Queens Cadets for four years before the group was disbanded, and he was serving with the Signallers Division. An engineer at Southbridge, single and of Church of England affiliation, he named his father as next-of-kin – David Owers, 516 Worcester Street, Linwood. Sapper F. T. Owers embarked with the New Zealand Field Engineers of the 4th Reinforcements, leaving from Wellington on 17 April 1915.

Sapper F. T. Owers, of the Field Engineers, was named in the casualty list published in mid-August 1915, and had arrived in London. He was one of many ex-pupils who had gone or were on their way to the front and whose names appeared on the Waimataitai School “Roll of Honour” drawn up in August 1915. At the annual meeting of the Avon Rowing Club held on 13 September 1915, it was reported that twenty-seven of the club’s members were serving at the front, one of whom being F. T Owers. As of September 1917, his name was recorded in the rollof honour of the Avon Rowing Club. Frank Timaru Owers, of the Field Engineers, was one of 141 sick and wounded soldiers who returned to New Zealand by the “Ruahine” which was due at Auckland towards the end of December 1915. Discharged on 18 February 1916, he was awarded the 1914-1916 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Frank Owers married Eva Lilian Lowry in 1919 at St Mary’s Church, Timaru. Gordon William Timaru Owers was born in 1920 and Cyril Bennett Owers in 1922. In June 1930, Frank was head mechanic at the C.F.C.A. garage in Timaru. From 30 applicants, Mr F. T. Owers was appointed patrolman for the South Canterbury Automobile Association, commencing his patrol work on 15 August 1930. From 15 August till 31 October, he mileaged 6000 odd miles in the car provided by the Association, erected 95 sign posts and attended to 110 breakdowns. He signed up again for service in World War Two.

Frank died at Timaru on 15 May 1978, aged 82 years. He was buried in Timaru Cemetery, Eva with him in March 1981, she too aged 82 years.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [22 August 2022]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [22 August 2022]; School Admission records (South Canterbury & Canterbury branches NZSG) [11 September 2022]; Star, 2 February 1915, Evening Star, 10 August 1915, Timaru Herald, 30 August 1915, 28 November 1930, Lyttelton Times, 14 September 1915, Evening Star, 16 December 1915, Press, 18 September 1917 (Papers Past) [12 September 2022]; Timaru Cemetery headstone image (Timaru District Council) [11 September 2022]; St Mary’s Timaru baptism record (South Canterbury Branch NZSG records) [12 September 2022]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file
• Other military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC Genealogy Society

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.