Victoria Cross-winning Welshpool war hero remembered in France

Ever since Peter Waring Owen, locally known as ‘Ben’, was a child, he has heard about the bravery of his great great uncle William Waring during the Great War and had always wanted to go and pay his respects at the grave in Le Harve, France.

His daughter, Lucy Field, said: “My dad has been fighting prostate cancer for the last two years and has now come through the other side with clear results. So we thought it was about time he was able to fulfill his dream.

“We organised a 60th birthday party for him at the Westwood pub and everyone that came put money in to get him and his wife to the Sainte Marie Cemetery in Le Harve.”

She added: “We presented this to him with a poppy wreath from the Royal British legion at his party and it’s fair to say he was overcome.”

Finally, on February 15, Mr Owen’s dream to pay his respects to his Great Great Uncle came true.

“I was in tears,” Mr Owen told the County Times. “I was shaking. I can’t explain what it meant to me.

“I’ve been told lots of stories about him since I was a little boy and to actually go and see his grave, it was very nice. It was absolutely marvellous.”

William Herbert Waring VC MM was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross; the most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. On September 18, 1918, the Royal Welsh Fusilier lance-sergeant led an attack against enemy machine-guns and single-handedly rushed a strong-point, bayoneting four of the garrison and capturing 20 with their guns. He then led his men for another 400 yards where he fell and was mortally injured. He died three weeks later aged 33.

He is commemorated on a Welshpool Town Hall wall and in a local cemetery.

“He’s a Welshpool legend. This guy’s name must be kept going,” Mr Owen said. “Welshpool must be proud of him. He was some sort of guy.”

He added: “All my life I wanted to go there. I will never forget it. It was very emotional."