Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Dadizeele New British Cemetery | I. B. 9. | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.119 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 28A GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Family :
Son of Mr. and Mrs. A. D. Cowan, of Melbourne, Australia.Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 48th Squadron |
| Action : The Final Advance in Flanders |
28 September - 11 November 1918. As the pressure mounted in other sectors the opportunity was seized to escape the confines of the Ypres Salient. Within five days the British Second Army had pushed the Germans back over the 1917 battlefield and were advancing on Courtrai. After action at Courtrai the advance continued into Belgium until the Armistice on 11th November.
Detail :
James B. Cowan father's family originally came from County Antrim, Ireland. In 1893 in Melbourne, Australia, his father, Alex Dow Cowan, married his mother, Margaret MacLeod of Wallan Wallan, Victoria, Australia. James was born in St Kilda, a suburb of Melbourne, in 1894. He served in the Royal Air Forces and was a pilot in 48 Squadron. Filip Van Devyvere Burg. Callewaertlaan, 20 B 8810 Lichtervelde, Belgium vandevyvere.f@belgacom.net]
3rd October 1918 - While on an bombing run on Izegham with observerLt L.N. Jones, which was being led by Capt F.J.Cunninghame, a group of 12 Fokkers was seen. The E.A. were engaged. Cowan and Jones were reported 'Missing in Action'when there plane, B.F. E2523, was last seen near Ingelmunster at 1750 hours. Squadron member 2Lt Herbert Thomas said he saw their plane go 'Down in Flames'. James' plane crashed a few miles south of the town centre of Lichtervelde. His body was initially buried near a cross surrounded by a few lime trees, in the vicinity of a farmhouse. The town of Lichtervelde was liberated a few weeks later. After the war his remains were exhumed and taken to the New British Cemetery in Dadizele Combat report #586 of 48 Squadron (PRO Air 1/1829/204/202/22)
Killed in Action with Lt Ludlow Norman Jones in Bristol F2b E2523 (David Barnes)
See more at Blog: James Basil Cowan.
Portrait Photo of Cowan from the Over The Front Journal
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Crusaders No. 1677 E.C. | London |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
15th November 1916 | 17th January 1917 | 21st February 1917 |
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley