Birth: 18 August 1895 44 Kashgar Road, Plumstead, London, UK
Father: Edward Thomas Cowles 1868-1935
Mother: Emma Louisa Alice Payne 1874-1946
Christening: Unknown
Marriage: Believed not married
Death: 2 October 1919 Riga, Latvia
Burial: Plot 3 18s 5 Domfriedhof Cemetary, Meeraels, Riga, Latvia
Reburied: Plot II . 4 Mitau (Nikolas) Cemetary, Jelgava, Zemgale, Latvia
Believed none
Birth in FreeBMD in July-September 1895 in Woolwich (1D 1320).
On a copy of his certicate 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.
His sister was born in December 1896 in Plumstead and registered in January-March 1897 in Woolwich.
His brother was born on 15 October 1898 in Plumstead and registered in October-December 1898 in Woolwich.
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).
His sister was born on 9 March 1902 in Plumstead and registered in in April-June 1902 in Woolwich.
Entry in Ancestry London, England, School Admissions and Discharges, 1840-1911 for Edwd Jas Cowles born 18 August 1895, father Edward Thos [of] 27 Kashgar Road admitted 25 August 1902 No. 1450 to Plumstead High Street School left 25 March 1905. High Street School, Plumstead (0783) opened in 1893. Renamed Plumstead High Street School in 1921, then Bannockburn School in 1951.
His sister was born 8 May 1906 and registered in April-June 1906 in Dartford.
His two sisters were baptised on 27 May 1906 at All Saints, Belvedere when they were living at 11 Ebenezer Terrace.
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.
His sister was born on 10 March 1913, registered in April-June 1913 in Dartford and baptised on 18 May 1913 at St Augustine of Canterbury, Belvedere when the family was living at 49 Ripley Road, Belvedere.
Entry in Ancestry UK, Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services, 1848-1939 for Edward James Cowles born 18 August 1895 in Plumstead, Kent, a shop boy, enlisted 18 August 1913 for 12 years, height 5 ft 2 in increasing to 5 ft 7 in, chest 33 in increasing to 38 in, brown hair, grey eyes, fresh complexion, small scar right wrist, Impregnable Boy II 18 May 1911, Ganges 3 September 1911 Sig Boy 19 January 1912, Pembroke I 11 May 1912, London 17 May 1912, Ord Sig 18 August 1913, Pembroke I 20 August 1913, Apollo 18 November 1913, Sig 3 December 1914, Angora 10 May 1910, Ld Sig 1 January 1917, Pembroke I 21 April 1919, Abdiel 21 August 1919 to 2 October 1919 died 2nd October 1919 Natural Causes.
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 Bexley, Kent, England, Electoral Registers, 1734-1965 as Edward James Coewles address 49 Ripley Road, Belvedere, Erith in 1919, other occupant Arthur Cowles (brother?), both as naval or military voters.
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 of 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.
Entry in Ancestry UK, British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 for Edward James Cowles Ldg Sig J.12334 (ch.) RN H.M.S. Abdiel born 16.8.95 Plimstead S.E., died 2.10.19 buried "Domfriedhof Cemetary, Meeraels, Riga 3 18s 5 (New Square II)" all between quotes crosed out and replaced by Mitau (Nikolas) Cem 2 C 4 Latvia, Father . E. T. of Westwood House, 49, Ripley Road, Belvedere, Kent Awarded Bronxze Medal for Military Valour (Italy.)
Entry in Find a Grave for Leading Signalman Edward James Cowles Royal Navy J/12334, died 2 October 1919 buried Plot II.C.$ Nikolaja kapi, Jelgava, Zemgale, Latvia. "E.J.Cowles/Leading Signalman RN J.12334/H.M.S. Abdiel//2nd October 1919".
Entry in Ancestry UK, World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 for Edward James Cowles L Signal S/12334 Royal Navy, mother Emma Cowles, died 2 October 1919.
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 Encyclopedia 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.
There are sixteen entries Ancestry Family Trees for Edward James Cowles.
The Cowles Family 1919 Edward James is back row right.
Edward James Cowles was my uncle. I was named after him.
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