Pte 270090 Robert Cowin

• Age: 19
• From: Douglas, IOM
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Robert Cowin was born on the 08th December 1897 in Douglas, Isle of Man and was the son of John Thomas Cowin and his wife Frances (nee Cowin) who married on the 20th March 1890 in St Matthews Church, Toxteth in Liverpool. At the time of the marriage John was a 28 year old sailor, his father was Robert, Frances was 23, her father was William, both of 97 Warwick Street, and from the Isle of Man. Both Frances and John were born on the Isle of Man.

Robert’s father, John, was a seaman, his name appears on the crew list of the S.S.Jarnac with his previous ship being the S.S.Ancona, he’d signed up for six months from 2nd January 1900. He must have also been away at sea at the time of the 1901 census as Frances is recorded as married and head of household at their address at 5 King Street, Douglas, Isle of Man. At the time the couple have three children, Frances aged 9, Edward Briscoe 5 and Robert aged 3.

John is at home at the time of the 1911 census which records that he and Frances have been married for 21 years and that Frances has borne six children, two of whom have sadly died. All four surviving children are living at home – Frances, (Edward) Briscoe who is a barber’s apprentice, Robert and Marion aged 6. Their address is 1 James Street, Douglas, Isle of Man.

Robert enlisted in Douglas, Isle of Man and was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 270090 when he was killed in action on the 31st July 1917 aged 19 during the Third Battle of Ypres, better known as the Battle of Passchendaele.

On this day, before Zero Hour, the 18th Battalion was part of 21st Brigade and was to form up for the attack from trenches from the area of Sanctuary Wood to Observatory Ridge but it was dark and continually falling rain gave very poor visibility. The departure of the 21st Brigade was delayed by heavy shelling.

The 18th King’s began to move forward in the rear of the 2nd Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment who had been detailed as the left attacking battalion of the 21st Brigade.

No’s 1 and 3 Companies of the King’s led the way followed by No’s 2 and 4. In Sanctuary Wood there was considerable confusion, as a result No.2 and No.4 Companies became separated from the others, and were moved over to the left flank towards positions known as Surbiton Villas and Clapham Junction in the direction of the 90th Brigade.

No.1 and 3 Companies were soon in action with the enemy, and were for a time, held up against an enemy strong point. They pushed forward with their right on a trench known as Jar Row and their left on the tramway south of Stirling Castle. Advance along Jar Row was held up by the Germans who put up a fierce resistance and the party was forced to withdraw.

Another group of men from No.1 and No.3 Companies led by 2nd Lieut. Graham were being held up by another strongpoint which was south of Stirling Castle, which was eventually stormed and taken. Not far away from this action, an attempt, by other men of No.1 and No.3 companies, was made to penetrate a broad belt of uncut wire, but this was covered by Machine-guns which killed almost every man attempting to pass through the two gaps that were discovered.

The situation was similar with No.2 and 4 Companies, who had attacked along the wrong axis. Their advance was met with fierce opposition, and once all the experienced officer’s had been killed or wounded, all cohesion was lost, although some men did reach and cross the Menin Road at Clapham Junction.

By that time, the situation had become extremely confused, and the whereabouts of all four companies being unknown to Battalion Headquarters, urgent attempts were made to discover their locations. Eventually by mid- afternoon, it was established that the bulk of the companies, although all mixed together, were dug in the vicinity of Stirling Castle and by mid evening, the Battalion Headquarters moved forward to meet them.

During its time in the line the 18th Battalion lost 7 officers and 76 men killed or died of wounds and 7 officers and 177 men were wounded. They were relieved on the 2nd August.

He was reported as wounded in the Liverpool Daily Post 13th September 1917:

King's Liverpool Regiment - Cowin, 270090, R. (Douglas). ;

He was subsequently reported wounded and missing in the Liverpool Daily Post 05th October 1917:

King's Liverpool Regiment - Cowin, 270090, R. (Douglas IOM). ;

Robert's body was not found or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Frances, 1 Duke Street, Douglas.

On his Pension record Robert has another service no. 8827, 7/KLR (IOM Volunteers).

He is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Douglas Roll of Honour

Douglas Civic Memorial

St Matthew's Parishioners

His mother died, aged 72, in 1937 and was buried on the 30th November in Onchan, IOM. 

We currently have no further information on Robert Cowin, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.