Regimental number | 3019 |
Place of birth | South Melbourne, Victoria |
School | Dorcas Street State School, South Melbourne, Victoria |
Religion | Church of England |
Occupation | Compositor |
Address | 306 Bank Street, South Melbourne, Victoria |
Marital status | Single |
Age at embarkation | 22 |
Next of kin | Mother, Mrs E J Cowl, 306 Bank Street, South Melbourne, Victoria |
Previous military service | Nil |
Enlistment date | |
Place of enlistment | Melbourne, Victoria |
Rank on enlistment | Private |
Unit name | 7th Battalion, 10th Reinforcement |
AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/24/3 |
Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT RMS Osterley on |
Regimental number from Nominal Roll | 3019A |
Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
Unit from Nominal Roll | 60th Battalion |
Fate | Killed in Action |
Place of death or wounding | Fleurbaix, France (Battle of Fromelles) |
Age at death | 25 |
Age at death from cemetery records | 23 |
Place of burial | No known grave |
Commemoration details | V.C. Corner (Panel No 7), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France |
Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 169 |
Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: Thomas and Eliza COWL, 306 Bank Street, South Melbourne, Victoria |
Family/military connections | Cousin: Pte Raymond Ross, killed 29 September 1918. |
Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Taken on strength, 7th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 7 January 1916. Transferred to 59th Bn, and taken on strength, Tel el Kebir, 24 February 1916. Transferred to 60th, and taken on strength, Tel el Kebir, 15 March 1916. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916. Reported Missing, 19 July 1916. Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 4 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'. Statement, Red Cross File No 820415, 5389 Corporal L.A. HALL, 60th Bn (patient, 2nd Southern General Hospital, Bristol, England), 17 December 1916: 'We attacked the German lines at 6.30 p.m. July 19th near Fromelles, within a few minutes I saw both Cowl and [3017 Pte V.R.A.] Curwen hit by shrapnel, they fell and never moved and I feel certain they were dead though I did not examine them.' Second statement, 2878 Pte R.E. POULTER, 60th Bn, 29 January 1917: 'They [Cowl and 10 others] all went over the top on 19th July at Fromelles. We had 440 yds. to cross under heavy fire and a creek to get over into the bargain. None of these men answered a roll call. In my own mind they were all killed. We could not get any bodies in, most of which lay 100 yds. out in No Man's Land.' Note on file: 'No trace Germany[.] Cert. by Capt. Mills 10-10-19.' |
Sources | NAA: B2455, COWL Robert Henry
Red Cross File No 820415 |