Coldstream Guards, 2nd _s._ of William Clark Couper, of 36, St.
Mary’s Road, Watford, Herts, Police Constable, by his wife, Harriet,
dau. of Henry Gulliver; _b._ Kensington, W., 24 March, 1892;
educ. St. James’ School, Norlands, Notting Hill; joined the 1st Battn.
Herts Regt. (T.F.) in May, 1909, and enlisted in the Coldstreams, 7
June, 1911; served three years with the Colours, and then passed into
the Reserve, from which he was called on the outbreak of war. He went
to the Front with the Expeditionary Force, and died in No. 11 General
Hospital, Boulogne, 10 Nov. 1914, of wounds received in action on the
2nd. He was buried in Boulogne Cemetery (Grave No. c/19). A comrade
wrote: “On 1 Nov. Corporal Palmer was wounded in the arm, and Walter
took him to hospital. Walter did not come back till mid-day on Monday,
the 2nd. I met him in the communication trench, and he had two letters
for some one in another platoon. The Sergt. of this other platoon was
behind him, so he had to turn round in the trench. The trench being
rather narrow he had to show his head above the top. No sooner did his
head show above the trench when a German sniper shot, and the bullet
cut the side of his head where he had a bald patch. I obtained help
at once, and our machine gun officer bound the wound up for him. He
was then taken away on a stretcher. On 23 Oct. our platoon held a line
of trenches from which the Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) had retired. It
was open ground, and the bullets were whizzing over us pretty rapid.
About 80 yards in front of us lay a fellow of the Queen’s, badly
wounded. Seeing that he couldn’t crawl in, Couper ran out to him, cut
his equipment off, and with the help of Corpl. Palmer, who had run out
afterwards, got the wounded fellow on his back. He then carried him in
by himself. There were only a few of us who saw this, and hardly any
one else heard about it. There are a good many brave actions done out
here which nobody hears about. I think if any one deserves the D.C.M.
it is Private Couper.” His elder brother, Corpl. W. F. Couper, 4th
Middlesex Regt., was taken prisoner at the Battle of Mons, and is now
(1916) confined at Senneläger.
[Illustration: =Walter Couper.=]
=COUPLAND, HENRY=, Lieut., 5th Battn. King’s Own Royal Lancaster
Regt. (T.F.), only _s._ of Lieut.-Col. Henry Coupland, of
Stonewell, Lancaster, V.D., 5th Battn. King’s Own Royal Lancaster
Regt., now commanding the National Reserves at Lewes, Sussex, by his
wife, Lilliere, dau. of Charles Innocent; _b._ Lancaster, 15 Dec.
1894; educ. Royal Lancaster Grammar School; gazetted 2nd Lieut. 5th
Battn. King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regt., 1 Jan. 1914, and promoted
Lieut. 2 Dec. following; served in France and Flanders, and died
from wounds received in action, near Ypres, at the Clearing Station,
Bailleul, 24 April, 1915; _unm._ He was buried in the cemetery at
Bailleul.
[Illustration: =Henry Coupland.=]
=COURCOUX, WILLIAM=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 2879), S.S. 196, H.M.S. Good
Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.
=COURT, CHARLES=, Leading Stoker (R.F.R., B. 9663), 297567, H.M.S.
Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=COURT, FREDERICK WILLIAM=, Chief Armourer, 340995, H.M.S.
Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=COURT, WILLIAM HUBERT ROYLANCE (ALGY)=, Capt., 9th (Queen’s
Royal) Lancers, only _s._ of William Roylance Court, of Manor
House, Middlewich, co. Chester, J.P., Barrister-at-Law, by his wife,
Mary Carlaw, eldest dau. of Sir Andrew Barclay Walker, 1st Bart., of
Osmaston Manor, co. Derby; _b._ Osmaston Manor, aforesaid, 26
Sept. 1885; educ. Wixenford Preparatory School and at Eton; gazetted
2nd Lieut. from the Royal Garrison Artillery Militia to the 9th
Lancers, 6 July, 1907; became Lieut. 4 March, 1910, and Capt. 23
April, 1913, and was for a lengthy period stationed with his regt. at
Potchefstroom, South Africa. When the war broke out in August the 9th
Lancers were at Mooltan Barracks, Tidworth, from whence they proceeded
direct to France, being among the first contingent of the British
Army to take part in the fighting in Belgium. It will be remembered
that in the early stages of the war in particular the 9th Lancers did
splendid work, and in his letters home Capt. Roylance Court related
some stirring incidents. About Dec. he was wounded in the foot by
shrapnel, and after being in hospital for a short time came home for
a few days. On 24 May, 1915 (the day he fell), Capt. Roylance Court
was second in command of B Squadron, the senior officer being Capt.
Francis O. Grenfell, V.C. The force occupied trenches near Hooge, some
60 to 80 yards from those of the enemy. Capt. Court was in the act of
communicating by telephone with the Base regarding the enemy’s gas
attack and the general situation, when he was shot through the head
and killed instantly. Capts. Grenfell, Noel Edwards and many men fell
that day. The Adjutant of the 9th Lancers, when writing to a friend
some time after the 24th, referred to the incidents and said: “It
certainly was a bad day, but the regt. came out with much praise from
everybody. This is some consolation to us for the loss of a great many
friends, and in spite of losses the reputation of the regt. increases.
‘Algy’ did a particularly gallant thing on the day he was killed.
When reinforcements were required he went down from the fire trenches
through a terrific shell fire (any messengers we sent on this day were
killed or wounded) and led up a company of the Buffs, showed them where
they were wanted. They suffered severely on the way, having to cross
about 2,000 yards of very open ground, which was swept by an absolute
curtain of shell fire.” Capt. Roylance Court was buried during the
night after the battle in the churchyard at Vlamertinghe, in Flanders,
close to the grave of Capt. Grenfell, whose remains were interred at
the same time. He was a very capable officer and a thorough sportsman,
and when on leave was a familiar figure in the Cheshire Hunt, of which
his father was joint-Master for four years. He was an enthusiastic polo
player, and won several point-to-point races for his regt. and several
of his friends. Golf was another sport of which he was very fond.
[Illustration: =W. H. R. (A.) Court.=]
=COURTIS, ERNEST GEORGE=, Chief Gunner, R.N., _s._ of James
Courtis, Engine Fitter, by his wife, Mary Catherine, dau. of Walter
Perry Jenkins; _b._ Cornwall, 3 March, 1873; educ. St. James’
School, Keyham, Devonport; joined the Navy, 7 Dec. 1888, and reached
Warrant rank, 1 Nov. 1898. He served on the Algerine during the Boxer
rebellion in China, 1900, being Gunnery Officer of that ship during the
bombardment of the Taku Forts. In the latter part of the engagement
the starboard after 3-pr. quick-firing gun recoiled off the netting,
fracturing almost all the small parts of the machinery and breech
mechanism. He remounted it in a position (from which it was effectively
used) in the Captain’s cabin in less than 15 minutes. Later, having
observed a line of electric observation mines ahead, he put off in a
dinghy with one man, and personally performed the dangerous service of
destroying five of the mines by cutting wires, removing detonators and
primers, and sinking the mines, thus probably saving many lives. He was
subsequently landed in charge of two of the ship’s 4-inch quick-firing
guns, and accompanied them to the Tientsin lines, where they were
urgently required to outrange the enemy; afterwards took one gun some
4 miles from the supports and base and mounted it under a brisk shell
fire, continuing in command of that gun during the remainder of the
bombardment and capture of Tientsin City. At Sin-Ho he was appointed
Transport Officer, which post he held for four months and was promoted
Chief Gunner 1 Nov. 1913. He had the China medal (1900) with two bars.
Chief Gunner Courtis lost his life on the occasion of the sinking of
H.M.S. Clan McNaughton, 3 Feb. 1915. He _m._ at Belmont Wesleyan
Church, Devonport, 12 Feb. 1900, Gertrude, dau. of Charles Montague,
and had a son and dau.: Geoffrey Ernest Montague, _b._ 2 April,
1907; and Gertrude Ellen Mary, _b._ 1 Sept. 1904.
[Illustration: =Ernest George Courtis.=]
=COURTNEY, JOHN HENRY=, _alias_ =JOHN HENRY ALFRED
ADKINS=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 9614), S.S. 106961, H.M.S.
Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct.
1914; _unm._
=COUSENS, ARTHUR=, Seaman, R.N.R., 2403C, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in
action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=COUSINS, JAMES=, Private, No. 8490, 2nd Battn. Royal Inniskilling
Fusiliers, _s._ of William Cousins, of Lurgan, by his wife, Mary,
dau. of Robert Guiney; _b._ Dollingstown, Lurgan, co. Down ...,
March, 1892; educ. National School there; enlisted 1 Jan. 1906; served
two years in China, and was killed in action at the Battle of the
Aisne, 7 Sept. 1914; _unm._ On that evening the Inniskillings went
out to take up an outpost line. Just before they reached the Ferme de
la Grande Lodge they met a small force of Uhlans, which they drove
off and closed up again, not suspecting that any more of the enemy
were near, and while in close order two batteries opened fire at 1,200
yards. The company was immediately formed for attack, but the enemy’s
fire was terrific for a short time, and it was here that Lieut. Boyd
and Private Cousins fell. They were buried that night in a corner of a
field in which the farmhouse of La Ferme des Arceries stands.
[Illustration: =James Cousins.=]
=COVER, FRANK=, Stoker, 1st Class, K. 41, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when
that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914.
=COWAN, ANDREW GALBRAITH=, Major, 74th Punjabis, Indian Army,
2nd _s._ of the late Hugh Cowan, Advocate, Sheriff Substitute of
Renfrew and Bute, by his wife, Williamina, dau. of the late Andrew
Galbraith, Lord Provost of Glasgow, 1857–60; _b._ Belmont,
Paisley, 26 Aug. 1876; educ. Paisley Grammar School, Trinity College,
Glenalmond, and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and was gazetted
2nd Lieut. to the Unattached List for the Indian Army, 20 Jan. 1897.
He was at first posted to the Duke of Connaught’s 129th Own Baluchis,
but was later transferred to the 74th Punjabis. He was promoted
Lieut. 20 April, 1899, and Capt. 20 Jan. 1906, and served for one
year (1911–12) on the staff of the Quartermaster-General at Simla. On
27 March, 1913, he was appointed Double Company Commander, and when
the European War broke out was with his Double Company at Hong Kong.
In Dec. 1914, he was attached to the 53rd Sikhs for service with the
Indian Expeditionary Force, and went with them to Egypt, where he was
promoted Major. At a parade of troops there on 12 April he was formally
presented with the bronze medal of the Royal Humane Society which had
been awarded him in recognition of gallantry in going to the assistance
of a native officer of his regt. at great risk to his own life during
a bathing parade in Hong Kong Harbour. He died while on active service
at Suez on 1 June, 1915, and was buried there. He _m._ at Madras,
Dec. 1903, Rosalind, dau. of the late Hon. Mr. Justice Lewis Moore,
I.C.S., Judge of the High Court, Madras, and had two children: Hugh,
_b._ 25 Oct. 1904; and Rosalind Eileen, _b._ 22 April, 1907.
[Illustration: =Andrew Galbraith Cowan.=]
=COWAN, ROBERT CRAIG=, 2nd Lieut., 3rd Battn. The Royal Scots,
elder _s._ of Robert Craig Cowan, of Eskhill, Inveresk, co.
Midlothian, by his wife, Mabel Agnes, dau. of Robert Orr, of
Cowdonhall, and gdson. of Charles William Cowan, of Loganhouse;
_b._ Craigiebield, Penicuik, co. Midlothian, 5 March, 1894; educ.
Cargilfield, Cheltenham, and Pembroke College, Cambridge; joined the
Army on the outbreak of war, being gazetted to the 3rd Battn. The
Royal Scots from the O.T.C. 15 Aug. 1914. He was killed in action at
La Plinche during the Battle of Ypres, 24 Oct. 1914, while attached
to the 2nd Battn. The Royal Scots, and was buried at Chapigny, near
Neuve Chapelle; _unm._ His commanding officer wrote: “We miss him
not only as a comrade, but as a very gallant boy, who has set a noble
example of courage and fearless execution of his duty.”
[Illustration: =Robert Craig Cowan.=]
=COWARD, LESLIE GRAHAM=, Capt., 1st Battn. Duke of Cambridge’s
Own Middlesex Regt., yst. _s._ of the late Christopher Thomas
Coward, of Limehouse, L.F.P.S.G., L.S.A., by his wife, Emily (Park
Lane, Stoke Newington), dau. of James Bennett; _b._ Limehouse, 1
Feb. 1890; educ. Owen’s School, Islington, and University of London
(matriculated 1906). His health having broken down while he was reading
for the Intermediate B.A., he secured a clerkship under the London
County Council. On the outbreak of war he volunteered for foreign
service, and having been a member of the London University O.T.C., was
given a commission as 2nd Lieut. in the 5th Special Reserve Battn. of
the Middlesex Regt. 15 Aug. 1914. Transferred later to the 1st Battn.,
he was promoted Lieut. 1 Jan. 1915, and Capt. 3 April, 1915. He was
killed in action at Flanders, 25 Sept. 1915; _unm._ Writing
to his mother, Col. F. Rowley said he “was killed yesterday while
gallantly leading his platoon to storm German trenches. His death was
instantaneous, and he could not have suffered any pain. I have had
the privilege of knowing him for some months, and as his colonel had
formed a very high opinion of him. He was very keen and devoted to his
duty, and had done a lot of most excellent work while he was with the
regt.” The regt. lost very heavily on this occasion, 12 officers being
killed, 1 missing and 5 wounded. He was buried with four others in a
little churchyard at Cambrin.
[Illustration: =Leslie Graham Coward.=]
=COWELL, CLAUDE=, Leading Seaman, 223743 (Devon.), H.M.S. Good
Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.
=COWLEY, JAMES=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 3874), 190567, H.M.S. Hawke;
lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 25 Oct. 1914;
_m._
=COWLING, WALTER SIDNEY=, Private, No. 16990, 7th Battn. (1st
British Columbia Regt.) Canadian Expeditionary Force, 3rd _s._ of
the late William Frederick Cowling, by his wife, Sarah Maria (64, St.
Anne’s Road, Tottenham, London, N.), dau. of Benjamin Charles Osborne;
_b._ Hackney, 8 Sept. 1891; educ. Stamford Hill Board School; went
to Canada 22 Feb. 1910, and settled at Revelstoke, B.C., and worked
as locomotive fireman on the freight trains that went up the Rockies;
enlisted in Aug. 1914, after the declaration of war, and was killed
in action at Messines, 27 Sept. 1915, by shell fire. He was buried in
Ploegsteert Woods.
[Illustration: =Walter Sidney Cowling.=]
=COWNIE, JOHN BURNETT=, Coy. Q.M. Sergt., No. 7711, 2nd Battn.
Welsh Regt., _s._ of Francis Sonley Cownie, of Edinburgh, S.S.C.;
_b._ Edinburgh, 24 Sept. 1886; educ. Edinburgh; joined the Army,
25 Nov. 1902, and was killed in action near Gheluvelt, Belgium, 29 Oct.
1914. 2nd Lieut. Hewett wrote: “He was with my platoon when he was
killed.... He was a splendid fellow, as plucky as you make them, and a
very fine leader and organiser. He would have made his mark and name
in this war had he lived. He was also a first-class sniper. He met his
death in the trench on my left flank, trying to locate a machine gun.
He was in front of the others, and it was owing to this that we could
not get his body in, though a Sergt. and myself tried. However, about
30 yards from it we got caught by machine gun fire and had to get back.
He was killed outright and suffered no pain. He is a great loss to us
all.” He was mentioned in F.M. Sir John French’s Despatch of 7 Sept.
[London Gazette, 20 Oct. 1914.]
[Illustration: =John Burnett Cownie.=]
=COX, ALAN EDWARD GEORGE=, Ordinary Telegraphist, No. 15439,
H.M.S. Cressy, 1st _s._ of William Edward Cox, of 138, Chingford
Road, Walthamstow, Metropolitan Police Constable, by his wife, Clara
Louisa, dau. of the late William McNally; _b._ Devonport, 30 Nov.
1895; educ. William Morris School, Walthamstow; joined the Navy, 10
Jan. 1911, and was lost when H.M.S. Cressy was torpedoed in the North
Sea, 22 Sept. 1914; _unm._ Letters from surviving comrades to the
parents tell how he remained bravely at his post until the last moment.
He had been specially promoted to be Telegraphist by Capt. Johnson on
1 Sept., and was a very promising operator. After leaving the training
ship Impregnable, he served in several ships as wireless boy, and his
first rating as Wireless Operator was on the ill-fated Cressy.
[Illustration: =Alan Edward George Cox.=]
=COX, ANTHONY=, Stoker (R.F.R., B. 978), 281549, H.M.S. Aboukir;
lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=COX, CHARLES=, Chief Ship’s Cook, 344105, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost
in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.
=COX, CHARLES ALBINE=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 5348), 194734, H.M.S. Good
Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.
=COX, ERNEST WILKIN=, Private, No. 12/710, 16th Infantry Battn.
New Zealand Expeditionary Force, 5th _s._ of Edmund Blatchford
Cox, of Roto-o-Rangi, Cambridge, Auckland, New Zealand, by his wife,
David Ann, dau. of Robert Wilkin, of Christchurch, New Zealand;
_b._ Hamilton, Waikato, Auckland, 11 April, 1893; educ. Waikato;
was employed on his father’s property; volunteered and joined the New
Zealand Expeditionary Force, on the outbreak of war in Aug. 1914; left
for Egypt with the Main Body in Oct.; embarked for the Dardanelles,
12 April, 1915, and was killed in the landing at Gaba Tepe on the
25th of that month; _unm._ He was a great athlete, with a strong
inclination for engineering.
[Illustration: =Ernest W. Cox.=]
=COX, FRANCIS THOMAS=, Ch. E.R.A., 1st Class, 268129, H.M.S. Good
Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.
=COX, FRANCIS WILLIAM=, A.B. (R.F.R., I.C. 668), 195409, H.M.S.
Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov.
1914.
=COX, HARRY=, Seaman, R.N.R., 4978B, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action
in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=COX, HORACE RAYMOND=, Private, No. 1125, 10th Battn. Australian
Imperial Force; 3rd _s._ of William Cox, Butcher, by his wife,
Ada Cox (26, Brock Street, Kirkdale, Liverpool), dau. of Henry Boden;
_b._ Kirkdale, Liverpool, 12 May, 1893; educ. Westminster Road
Schools, and Training Ship Indefatigable; was for sometime in the
employ of the White Star Line, and emigrated to Australia in August,
1910. He joined the Commonwealth Expeditionary Force on the outbreak of
war; was wounded in the landing at the Dardanelles, 25 April, 1915, and
died in Hospital at Cairo, 8 May following; _unm._
=COX, HUBERT POMEROY=, Rifleman, No. 2089, 1/16th (Queen’s
Westminster Rifles) Battn. The London Regt. (T.F.), 3rd and yst.
_s._ of the late Henry Cox, Permanent Way Inspector, Great Western
Railway, by his wife, Kate (158, Darnley Road, Gravesend, Kent), dau.
of the late Henry Courteen, of Redbrook, co. Monmouth; _b._
Weston-super-Mare, co. Somerset, 5 March, 1891; educ. Watford. He
enlisted in the Queen’s Westminster Rifles on the day war was declared,
went out to France with his regt. 3 Nov. 1914, and passed through all
the critical fighting of Nov. and Dec., until he was killed in action
by a shell at Chapelle d’Armentières Town Hall, 19 Dec. 1914. He was
buried in the military cemetery, Armentières; _unm._ The following
is an extract from a letter from the officer commanding his platoon:
“He had done so well in the company since he joined and proved himself
a hard worker and a good soldier.” And his Sergt. wrote, describing
his death: “The battn. had come out of the trenches, and A Coy. were
in their billet (Town Hall) when the shell burst. We were all so sorry
about it for he was very much loved by all his comrades.” He was a man
of splendid physique, taking an active part in all athletic games. At
the school sports during his last term he carried off no fewer than 13
prizes and medals.
[Illustration: =Hubert Pomeroy Cox.=]
=COX, RICHARD ARTHUR=, A.B. (R.F.R., Ch. B. 9957), S.S. 2497,
H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=COX, SWITHIN JOHN=, Third Writer, 347960, H.M.S. Pathfinder; lost
when that ship was sunk by a mine, about 20 miles off the East Coast, 5
Sept. 1914.
=COX, SYDNEY DOUGLAS=, Private, No. 2130, 6th Battn. Australian
Imperial Force, yst. _s._ of Harry Cox, of 20, Manners Road,
Ilkeston, Derby, formerly of Aldershot and Andover, retired Printer and
Stationer, by his wife, Elizabeth, dau. of Joseph Stephenson, of Burley
Road, Leeds; _b._ Stratford-on-Avon, co. Warwick, 7 Aug. 1891;
educ. Broomy Hill Academy, Hereford; relinquished a lucrative position
on the Midland Railway and went to Australia to take up farming in May,
1910, commencing as a farm hand at Stratford, Gippsland, and after
three years being placed in charge of the farm. When the call of the
Motherland was heard “down under,” he instantly responded, was enrolled
in the 2nd, but was afterwards transferred to the 1st, Australian
Contingent, took part in the repulse of the Turkish attack on the
Suez Canal, and was killed in action at the Dardanelles, 8 May, 1915;
_unm._ He was a good linguist, being able to speak two or three
languages fluently.
[Illustration: =Sydney Douglas Cox.=]
=COX, THOMAS=, L.-Corpl., No. 11359, 1st Battn. Coldstream Guards,
_s._ of Charles William Cox, of 3, Folkestone Road, Swindon,
Foreman, Swindon Suridge Works, late Private, Grenadier Guards, by
his wife, Eliza, dau. of Thomas Jenings, of Ossett, Essex; _b._
Swindon, co. Wilts, 29 Oct. 1894; educ. King William Street Church
School there; enlisted in the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battn. of the
Wiltshire Regt., 9 May, 1910, and passed into the 2nd Battn. 21 Oct.
1910, obtaining his discharge, 30 Jan. 1911. He was then employed in
the Great Western Railway Works at Swindon until the outbreak of war,
when he enlisted in the Coldstreams, 29 Aug. 1914. He was wounded in
action at Givenchy, 23 Dec. 1914, and died in hospital at Wimereux on
29 Dec. 1914; _unm._
=COX, WALTER=, Private, No. 6964, 3rd Battn. Coldstream
Guards, _s._ of William Cox, by his wife, Maria (Alveston,
Stratford-on-Avon), dau. of (--); _b._ Alveston, co. Warwick,
15 Oct. 1885; educ. Tiddington, near Stratford-on-Avon; enlisted at
Birmingham, and was officially reported as wounded and missing after
the fighting at Landrecies, 23 Aug. 1914, and is now assumed to have
been killed in action on that day.
=COX, WILLIAM GEORGE=, Ship’s Cook, 347466, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost
in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.
=COXHEAD, GUY TEMPLETON=, Gunner, R.M.A., 7834 (R.F.R., 767),
H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=COYLE, JAMES=, Stoker, R.N.R., 1970S, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in
action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=COYNE, JAMES=, Stoker, 2nd Class, K. 19994, H.M.S. Good Hope;
lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.