More about James Cowans

DUNDEE A.B. DIES OF WOUNDS.

Intimation has been received by Mrs Cowans, 76 Dudhope Street, Dundee, that her son, James Cowans, A.B., Royal Naval Division, died of wounds on 14^th March.  Previous to enlisting A. B. Cowans was employed as a twine polisher with J. & A. D. Grimond, Limited, Bowbridge Works, Dundee.  A twin brother of deceased is at present serving with the Indian Expeditionary Force.

Dundee Courier 20^th March 1918

James Cowans was the son of Mrs Helen Cowans of 76 Dudhope Street, Dundee but he was living at 68 Hill Street when, in June 1915, he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve for service in the Royal Naval Division. Before the war he was employed as a twine polisher. After initial Naval training at the Crystal Palace Depot he went to Blandford Camp in Dorset for advanced military training. On completion he was drafted to the Nelson Battalion in Gallipoli, arriving on the Peninsula in November 1915. After the withdrawal he was seconded to the Base at Mudros on the island of Lemnos. In May 1916 he returned to the Nelson Battalion and sailed for France to join the struggle on the Western Front. In September 1916 he was hospitalised with ear and skin diseases first in France and then to England. He returned to the Nelson in November 1916 and was wounded in action in December 1917 and hospitalised. After recovery he returned to the Nelson just as it was disbanded in February 1918 and he was transferred to the Anson Battalion. During the build up to the German offensive in March 1918 he was suffered multiple wounds from shell fire and, although there was some improvement, James Cowans died from his injuries on 14 March 1918. He is buried Etaples Military Cemetery, Northern France.

Iain Stewart and Iain Birnie