COWELL, William Ralph
| Service Numbers: | Not yet discovered |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen |
| Born: | Sunderland, Durham, England, United Kingdom, 1874 |
| Home Town: | Toolburra, Southern Downs, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Killed in Action during WWI, Palestine, 20 September 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Jerusalem War Cemetery Plot: M. 38. |
| Memorials: |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Lieutenant, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen | |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Mar 1901: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Lieutenant, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 488 notes 5th QIB embarked at Pinkenba 6 Mar 1901 aboard Templemore arriving Port Elizabeth 1 Apr 1901. | |
| 5 May 1902: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Lieutenant, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 491 notes 5th QIB embarked at Cape Town 27 Mar 1902 aboard St Andrew returning to Australia arriving Brisbane 30 Apr 1902, disbanded 5 May 1902. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Claude McKelvey
William Ralph Cowell was born in Feb 1874 at Sunderland, England, a son to Richard Cowell and Sarah Cowell (nee Simpson). When he enlisted in 1901 in Queensland for service in the South African (Boer) War he noted his N.O.K. as his father Richard Cowell, Sunderland, County Durham, England.
Its unclear when he arrived in Queensland but in 1901 he was noted in newspaper reports as living at North Toolburra on the Darling Downs when he was appointed as a Lieutenant with the 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen to serve in the South African (Boer) War. Newspaper reports from 1902 indicate he remained in South Africa for further service when the remainder of the 5th returned to Australia.
It appears he may have recieved his discharge in South Africa and remained there following the Boer war. In 1918 he was killed in action during WW1 in Palestine while serving as a Major with the 1st Cape Corps of the South African Forces during which he was awarded a DSO. As well as his CWGC grave in the Jerusalem War Cemetery he is memorialised on father's grave headstone at the Bishopwearmouth Cemetery, Metropolitan Borough of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England.
(sources- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 504; Find A Grave- memorial Jerusalem War Cemetery; The Queenslander newspaper 16 Mar 1901, p. 514; Warwick Argus newspaper 12 Mar 1901, p. 2).
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