New exhibition about the life of a close friend to famous war poet, Wilfred Owen, takes permanent residency in Wirral

Feb 29 2012 by Linda Foo Guest, Birkenhead News

AN exhibition about the life of a close friend of famous war poet Wilfred Owen is due to open in Wirral.

The Wilfred Owen Story in Birkenhead will host the tale of close school friend Alec Paton.

Owen was said to have only one close friend during his time in Birkenhead.

Called ‘Wilfred Owen's Forgotten Friend’, the exhibition features pictures of Mr Paton and both his own testimony and of those who knew him of living his life in the reflective glow of his genius school pal.

The boys were pupils of The Birkenhead Institute and their studious nature drew them together as they shared most of the top accolades in their class.

The pals were inseparable during holidays and rode horses on New Brighton Beach and swam at The Argyle Street Baths.

Wilfred spent so much time at the Paton household it was suggested that he remain with the family when his own parents returned to Shropshire.

When they became soldiers, Paton lived through the war while his best friend perished in the last week of the war – posthumously becoming the greatest war poet of all time.

Mr Paton became a teacher on the south coast.

He was said to be reluctant to discuss his boyhood companion, but upon his death at the age of 97 he was buried with an anthology of Wilfred's poems.

The exhibition is permanent at The Wilfred Owen Story on Argyle Street. Admission is £1.