Hugh Cowan likeness

Hugh Cowan cap badgePrivate Hugh Cowan

9th (Service) Battalion Seaforth Highlanders (Pioneers) "C" Company
Service No: S/10407

Hugh Cowan grave

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Personal details

Family Information

Eldest son of James Symington Cowan (1863 - 27/04/1940) and Elizabeth Pearson Cowan (1865 - 02/06/1938) of 22c Muiryhall St, Coatbridge. From the 1901 Census - Address - 22b Muiryhall St, Coatbridge - James Cowan aged 37, Elizabeth Cowan aged 36, Jeanie Cowan aged 11, Maggie Cowan aged 10, Janet Cowan aged 8, Hugh Cowan aged 5 and James Cowan aged 1. Hugh also had a sister called Elizabeth Forrest Pearson Cowan (01/11/1901 - 13/05/1948). Hugh's Pension was awarded to his mother Elizabeth on the 06/11/1917 and then to his father James of 5 Bruce St, Coatbridge after the death of his mother.

Born / Resided

Coatbridge / 22c Muiryhall St, Coatbridge.

Died

Killed in Action on the 16/03/1916 by a gunshot to the head when assisting stretcher bearers retrieve a severely wounded Officer

Enlisted

Coatbridge 07/09/1914

Employed

British Tube Works.

Age

20

Buried / Remembered

Tancrez Farm Cemetery (I. A. 8), Hainaut, Belgium.

Cemetery / Memorial Information

The commune of Ploegsteert remained under Allied occupation for much of the First World War, but was in German hands from 10 April to 29 September 1918. Tancrez Farm Cemetery stands behind a rebuilt farm house which during the war housed an aid post. It was begun in December 1914 and was carried on by field ambulances and fighting units until March 1918. The cemetery now contains 333 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. Six of the burials are unidentified but there is a special memorial to one casualty known to be buried among them. There are also two German war graves.

Additional Information

The Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 10/05/1915 and were Divisional Troops, 9th (Scottish) Division. The joined December 1914 and became Divisional Pioneer Battalion early 1915. Hugh arrived in France on the 12/08/1915. Hugh was shot in the head as he assisted stretcher bearers retrieve a severely wounded Officer. From a letter to his parents from Captain H.C.B. Cummins Commanding "C" Company : "Dear Mrs Cowan, - I`m afraid I have very sad news to tell you. Your son, No. 10407, Private H. Cowan was killed last night. We were working on a communication trench just behind the front line trenches, when there was a sudden burst of rifle fire, which severely wounded one of our Officers and a Lance Corporal. Your son was assisting stretcher bearers to get the Officer down in the trench when he was hit in the head by a bullet and killed instantly" (see Newspaper clipping for the full letter sent). SEE PHOTOS x 6 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY FEBRUARY - MARCH 1916. Hugh sent 2 cheery postcards home 2 weeks before he fell. Hugh was formerly with the Reserve Cavalry (Dragoons Service Number 8409). He is listed as 8th BATTALION on the Coatbridge Memorial. Grave photo donated by Mick McCann at britishwargraves.co.uk. He is also remembered on the East United Free Church and Stewarts and Lloyds Rolls of Honour and at the Family Plot in Old Monkland Cemetery (see photos). See photos for Hugh's Medal Index Card, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report, Tancrez Farm Cemetery, the Seaforth Highlanders Cap Badge, Hugh's Pension Records x 3, his name on the Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, a photo of Hugh's parents and one of his sister Elizabeth. Finally, see photos for Newspaper clippings x 4 (Coatbridge Express x 2 and Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 2), PHOTOS x 9 FOR THE 9th (SCOTTISH) DIVISION BOOK JANUARY - MARCH 1916 and the 9th (Scottish) Division Order of Battle x 12 (the Division he was with when he died).

Photos
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War Diaries

The battalion War Diary is available on the National Archives website.

Creative Commons License

We have made this information and the images available under a Creative Commons BY-NC license. This means you may reuse it for non-commercial purposes only and must attribute it to us using the following statement: © coatbridgeandthegreatwar.com

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