Birth: 18 August 1895 44 Kashgar Road, Plumstead, London, UK
Father: Edward Thomas Cowles 1868-1935
Mother: Emma Louisa Alice Payne 1874-1946
Death: 2 October 1919 Riga, Latvia
Believed none
Birth in FreeBMD in July-September 1895 in Woolwich (1d 1320) (which included Plumstead).
On a copy of his entry of birth number 249 in 1895 in the sub district of East Plumstead in the District of Woolwich, London his name was stated to be Edward James Cowles, born on 18 August 1895 at 44 Kashgar Road, his father is Edward Thomas Cowles, a fireman on an outfall drainage boat, and his mother Emma Louisa Alice Cowles formerly Payne. The informant was his mother and the birth was registered on 26 September 1895.
In 1901 census as Edwd Cowles aged 5, born in Plumstead, and living with his parents (Edwd and Emma), brother (Arthur), sister (Ethel) and grandmother (Emily) in 4 rooms at 27 Kashgar Road, Plumstead, London (address shared with another family).
In the 1911 census as Edward James Cowles aged 15, born in Plumstead, Kent, a labourer at a cable works, and living with his parents (Edward Thomas and Emma Lweasia Alice), brother (Arthur) and two sisters (Ellen Marrion and Nellie Florence Annie) in five rooms at 49 Ripley Road, Belvedere, Kent.
There is a bible issued to Edward G Cowles (sic) by the Royal Navy Barracks Shotley, Suffolk (HMS Ganges). Comfirmed on 23 November 1911 at Shotley Barracks by the Bishop of Norwich, and was issued with a plain communion book.
Served during the war afloat with the Royal Navy on HMS Angora, a mine layer. She was a merchantship commissioned into the RN from February 1915 till November 1919. The photograph was taken by John Harold Rogers, while serving in the Royal Navy circa 1918. My grandmother's bungalow in Vange was named after this ship.
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Entry in Ancestry UK, Royal Navy and Royal Marine War Graves Roll, 1914-1919 for Edward James Cowles, leading signalman born on 18 August 1895 in Plumstead, London, father E T Westwood House, 49, Ripley Road, Belvedere, Kent, awarded Bronze Medal For Military Valour (Italy), died from disease on 2 October 1919 on HMS Abdiel, buried at Mitau Military Cemetery, Latvia, Baltic State
He received two medals from the First World War - Good Service and Victory, plus a medal from the Italian Government for aid given at the time of a vocanic erruption (which I don't have).
Died of an infection from a tetsey? fly at Riga whilst serving with the Baltic Fleet on HMS Abdiel, one of the Immingham Minelayers, Marksmen Class, and lead ship of the 20th Destroyer Flotilla (Minelayers). The picture is from P Benyon's site taken from Janes Fighting Ships 1919:
From the Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
Name: Cowles
Initials: E J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Leading Signalman
Regiment: Royal Navy
Unit Text: H.M.S. "Abdiel"
Date of Death: 02/10/1919
Service No: J/12334
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: II. C. 4.
Cemetery: Nikolai Cemetery
Country: Latvia
Location Information: The Cemetery is a small plot within the large civil cemetery of Jelgava. The Cemetery is about 4 kilometres south-east of the town centre on Bauskas lela (P-82), which is the road to Mezciems.
Historical Information: Jelgava, better known as Mitau, was captured by German forces in the summer of 1915; and in 1919 it became part of the Republic of Latvia. The establishment of the Republic was followed by a successful struggle for national existence against Russian and unofficial German troops. To the right of the main path are the memorial and the graves of Latvian soldiers killed in the war of independence; to the left is the British plot, covering 299 square yards, and marked by a War Cross. Between the two plots is a memorial chapel with a belfry. The British plot contains 36 Commonwealth burials, 4 of which are unidentified. Most died as prisoners in 1917 on what is now Latvian territory. All the graves were brought in from other burial grounds after the Armistice; 17 came from Mitau Russian Cemetery, 4 from Moniak Farm Cemetery (near the prison camp at Latschen), 3 from Libau North Cemetery, 3 from Kliwenhof Churchyard, and 9 from other places. No. of Identified Casualties: 32
I have not been able to find out very much about the Baltic Fleet except the following from a naval history site: At the end of 1918 British naval forces in the Baltic under the command of Rear Adm Sir Walter Cowan were given the difficult task of protecting the Baltic States, evacuating German forces, and operating against the Bolsheviks. Warships on both sides were lost, some to the many Russian and German minefields. Between December 1918 and September 1919 - just nine months - British losses amounted to: 1 light cruiser, 2 destroyers, 2 small monitors, 1 submarine, 4 minesweepers and 3 coastal motor boats.
The following comes from Encyclopędia Britannica 2001: The armistice negotiated with the Germans during the summer of 1919 required their withdrawal to East Prussia. Before it could be implemented, however, von der Goltz managed to organize an anticommunist West Russian army, including German monarchist volunteers, under an obscure White Russian adventurer, Pavel Bermondt-Avalov. On Oct. 8, 1919, Bermondt-Avalov's forces attacked the Latvian army and pushed into the suburbs of Riga. Simultaneously, in an effort to establish communications with Germany, his army moved into western Lithuania. The Latvians, assisted by an Anglo-French naval squadron, counterattacked and defeated the effort. Subsequently he suffered another defeat in Lithuania. By December 15 all his troops had abandoned Latvia and Lithuania.
Maureen Kristjanson has an entry in Ancestry Public Member Trees for Edward James Cowles born in 1895, parents Edward Cowles and Emma Payne. Another entry adds his birth on 18 August 1895 in Plumstead, Kent, parents Edward Thomas Cowles and Emma Louisa Alice Payne, and his death on 2 October 1919 at Mitau Military Cemetery, Latvia, Baltic State.
Edward James Cowles was my uncle.
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