▁the ▁right ▁eye ▁while ▁in ▁his ▁forward ▁weapon ▁pit . ▁T aken ▁back ▁to ▁a ▁h ut ▁that ▁was ▁being ▁used ▁as ▁an ▁aid ▁post , ▁he ▁was ▁exam ined ▁by ▁the ▁medical ▁officer , ▁Captain ▁Geoff rey ▁' Doc ' ▁Vern on . ▁ ▁His ▁situation ▁was ▁de emed ▁hop eless ▁and ▁when ▁the ▁Austral ians ▁were ▁forced ▁to ▁withdraw ▁from ▁their ▁location ▁at ▁ 0 4 3 0 ▁h rs , ▁O wen ▁could ▁not ▁be ▁moved . ▁He ▁was ▁clean ed ▁up ▁and ▁left ▁as ▁comfortable ▁as ▁possible . ▁▁ ▁On ▁ 9 ▁August , ▁O wen ' s ▁body ▁was ▁found ▁and ▁buried ▁at ▁K ok oda ▁by ▁members ▁of ▁' A ' ▁Company , ▁ 3 9 th ▁Battalion , ▁when ▁they ▁re to ok ▁K ok oda ▁for ▁a ▁short ▁period ▁between ▁ 8 ▁and ▁ 1 0 ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁Later ▁in ▁the ▁war , ▁the ▁temporary ▁Australian ▁war ▁gra ves ▁at ▁the ▁various ▁battle ▁sites ▁along ▁the ▁K ok oda ▁Track ▁were ▁cons olid ated ▁at ▁Bom ana , ▁north - west ▁of ▁Port ▁M ores by . ▁As ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁this , ▁O wen ' s ▁body ▁was ▁re bur ied . ▁He ▁post hum ously ▁received ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Dist ingu ished ▁Service ▁Cross ▁and ▁was ▁M ention ed ▁in ▁Des patch es . ▁ ▁Bom ana ▁War ▁C emetery ▁Gra vest one ▁ins cription ▁O W EN , ▁Lieutenant ▁Colonel , ▁W ILL I AM ▁T A