Name
Charles Edward (poss Richard or Charles Richard) Cowland (*1)
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/10/1915
17
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
13262
Bedfordshire Regiment
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DARTMOOR CEMETERY, BECORDEL-BECOURT
I. C. 15.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
North Mymms War Memorial, North Mymms War Shrine (now lost), St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, North Mymms, North Mymms Memorial Hall Memorial, Welham Green, Not on the Colney Heath memorials
Pre War
Richard Charles Cowland was born in Colney Heath (according to the 1901 and 1911 census) and his birth registered in 1898.
In 1901 the family, consisting of parents Charles Cowland (28) his wife Mary (25) and son Richard (3), were living in Colney Heath. Richard was recorded as born in Colney Heath, Charles was working as builder’s foreman. Also present was Edward (19) and Jane (22) Cowland - Charles’ brother and sister.
By 1911 they were living at Blue Houses, Roestock, Colney Heath Nr St Albans, Herts. Both parents were present, Charles now working as contractor and foreman building roads Richard now had siblings: Ernest (9), Marjorie (9) and Winnifred (10 months), their uncle, Edward, was still present.
Edward (brother of Charles) enlisted, served and was killed.
The Soldiers Died in the Great War database records a Charles Edward who we believe to be Richard (see note below *1) as born and living in Colney Heath when he enlisted in St Albans.
Wartime Service
Charles/Richard entered France on 12 August 1915.
His Battalion was in the trenches around Albert and the war diary for that day says ‘Considerable improvement noticed in enemy's shooting. At 9.50 the enemy fired on Albert, we at once counter strafed on Fricourt. Observers and sentries reported two masked snipers east of aeroplane trench. These kept putting up dummies and firing from behind and between them. The dummies and snipers were dressed the same and could be easily seen through glasses. After 3 hours we scored a hit and the enemy ceased’.
The North Mymms Roll of Honour suggests that Richard died whilst volunteering to go out and bring in a wounded comrade and was shot by a sniper whilst saving his comrades life, however is no reference to this in the Battalion war diary.
Additional Information
*1 This man is recorded by the CWGC as C E Cowland, and the son of Charles and Mary Cowland, of Roestock, Colney Heath, St. Albans, Herts., but neither census reveals a son of that name. The CWGC records him as 17 when he died in 1915, suggesting that he was born around 1898 – the same age as Richard and too young to have enlisted. We do not have complete corroboration, but it appears that Richard enlisted using his father’s name as an alias.
After his death £6 7s 12d pay owing was authorised to go to his father, Charles, on 7 February 1916. Later a war gratuity of £4 was authorised to be paid to him on 24 September 1919.
His pension cards record Mary Eliza Cowland, his mother as his next of kin, living at Roestock, Colney Heath, Nr St Albans and she was awarded a pension of 5s a week from 6 November 1918.
We believe that Richard Charles Crowland appears in the CWGC records under the alias of C E Cowland and on the North Mymms memorials as C R or Charles Crowland.
Acknowledgments
Bedfordshire Regiment Web Site Mike Allen
