Owen William Eric Whittle and his younger brother Vere Edward Robert Whittle, the sons of Edward and Laura Whittle, both died in the First World War. Owen was born in Market Overton on 18 July 1891. The family moved to Manton, Ayston and then back to Market Overton. Owen was a member of the Northampton Borough Police before joining up on 1 June 1915. He went out to France a year later, saw service with the Northampton Pioneers, and was wounded by a shell splinter in the right wrist in the Battle of the Somme. George Phillips wrote: "While the 24th Division was falling back from Peronne towards Amiens in March 1918, Pte. Whittle was fighting continuously from the 21st to the 25th, on which latter date he was killed instantaneously by a bullet wound in the head." During the war, while on leave, Owen had married Louise on 18 March 1916. Without a known grave, he is remembered on panel 56 of the Pozieres Memorial, and also on the war memorial in Market Overton. After the war his widow Louise was recorded as living at 23, Salisbury Street, Kettering.