D. C. OWLER

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David Cox Owler

1917 - 

Born on the 14th of November 1917, was raised in Dundee Scotland. Little is known about his early life, though at some point in his teen years the family would move to Australia, taking up residence in Dundenong, Victoria. David’s father seems to have taken up as a farmer, while David himself worked as a woodman.

On the 16th of November, David embarked from Melbourne with his unit and set sale for the Middle East. They arrived in Egypt on the 17th of December and were soon transferred to Palestine in order to complete their training. In May of 1941,  David relinquished his driving grade, and resumed his post as a regular gunner. A month later, he was loaned on detachment to the 2/3rd Anti Tank Regiment , whom he remained with until late August. The 2/8th at this time contributed to the force defending Mersa Matruh fortress. The regiment received its first 25-pounders at Matruh, where it remained from May until the end of September. The regiment then moved to Sidi Barrani, where it helped to prepare the defences. The gunners left Sidi Barrani in October and returned to Palestine, where they rejoined the 9th Division. In January 1942 the Australians moved to Syria, where the 2/8th built gun sites along the high positions overlooking the coast at Jdaide.

On the 6th of March 1942, David was admitted to Hospital with a bout of Dysentery, and spent nearly 10 days recovering. By July the war in North Africa had become critical for the Allies, with German and Italian forces reaching El Alamein, in Egypt, about 112 kilometres west of Alexandria. The 9th Division was rushed to the Alamein "box" and held the northern sector for almost four months. It was Alamein where the 2/8th "came of age". The regiment reached the Alamein front on 5 July, taking up position at Ruweisat Ridge, and were in action five days later.

Attacking inland from the coast, the division's 26th Brigade attacked the German positions at Tel el Eisa on 10 July. The attack was supported by all three of the division's regiments, with the 2/8th being involved in the heavy fighting between 10 and 12 July, as the Germans counter-attacked. On one occasion the 2/8th fired 1,250 artillery shells in one hour and a half. When the division's 24th Brigade made its attack towards the Ruin Ridge, on 17 July, the 2/8th was again heavily involved in the action and remained so for the rest of the month. Casualties were heavy, with the 2/8th having the highest figures of the field regiments. The 2/8th remained in action, supporting operation Bulimba, the 20th Brigade's attack at the start of September, and the main Alamein offensive at the end of October and the start of November.

On the 12th of October, David was admitted to hospital again, this time with infectious Hepatitis. This time he was kept in the hospital for nearly 2 months. By the time he was released to rejoin his unit, they were preparing to return to Australia.  They arrived in Melbourne on the 25th of February. The regiment then spent the next "two long and frustrating years" in northern Australia, training first at Kiri and then Ravenshoe, on the Atherton Tablelands. During this time, David was detached to the 1st and 2nd Corps HQ where he worked as an advisor and instructor. However, things went south in December of 1944, when on the 30th he was awarded 91 days of paid leave, before subsequently being discharged. The reasons for this are unknown at this time.

Little is known about David’s life after the war. He went on to marry Florance Margaret Fulton on the 5th of October 1946, where he gifts her a pearl necklace which she wore with her magnolia satin dress with a hand embroidered veil.

Text relating to the units activity was taken from the Australian War Memorial unit history on the 2/8th Field Regiment. All credit in that regards goes to them.