Ralph Henry Cowing
he was a career soldier
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Ralph Henry Cowing was born in 1897 at Oxton, Nottinghamshire, he was the son of the late Ralph Cowing a land agent and Emma Jane Cowing née West of 'Breaston House' Breaston Derbyshire and the brother of Elinor Jane, Margaret Annie and Janes West Cowing.
His father Ralph was born in 1851 at Hexham, Northumberland, he died in 1910 aged 59 yrs, his mother was born in 1861 at Upwell, Cambridgeshire, they were married in 1892 atWisbeach, Cambridgeshire, they went on to have 5 children.
In the 1911 census his widowed mother Emma Jane 50 yrs is living at Breaston, Derbyshire, she is living with her children, Elinor Jane 17 yrs, Ralph Henry 14 yrs, Margare Ann 9 yrs and James West 7 yrs of age.
Lieutenant Ralph Henry Cowing, 1st Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment, died of wounds on 15th July 1915. He had been wounded the previous day during a German mine attack on their position. He is buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
Article published on 23th July 1915 in the Nottingham Evening Post :-
“HIGH SCHOOL BOY DIES OF WOUNDS. “SECOND-LIEUT. R. H. COWING.
“The news has been received of the death from wounds of Second-lieutenant Ralph Henry Cowing, eldest son of Mrs. [Emma Jane] Cowing, of Breaston House, and the late Mr. Ralph Cowing, of Elvaston. “He was educated at the Nottingham High School, where his happy disposition and kindly good nature made him a general favourite. He was a keen and efficient member of the Officers Training Corps at the school, and won Major Leggett’s prize for musketry with the remarkable score of 113 out of 115 possible. After leaving school he joined the Officers’ Training Corps at the University College under Captain Trotman, obtained his commission in November in the 3rd Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment, and was afterwards attached to the 1st Battalion.”
Above article is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918.
Ralph Henry Cowing
Commonwealth war grave headstone marking his grave at Bailleul Communal Cemetery, Nord. Courtesy of Murray Biddle