Pte. James Cowley 6th Yorkshire Rgt

[old-ted]

Forum Pals.

We have a few questions about a Seaham lad who served with the 6th Btn Yorkshire Rgt. 14788 Pte. James Cowley. He died at sea on 11th Aug 1915. We presume that he was being evacuated with the wounded from Suvla as the batalion landed there on the 6th Aug. He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, panels 55 to 58. Our question is; If he died at sea, was the hospital ship sunk, or was he buried at sea, or, if neither of these why has he not got a marked CWGC grave? (He is on SDGW as Joseph Cowley)Also, what hospital ship would he have been on?

Our records on him are;

Cowley *James: Private 14788 6^th Yorks

Address: 9 Bank Head Street New Seaham

Enlisted: Sunderland

Casualty: 11.8.15. DofW at sea (The 6^th Yorks arrived at the Dardanelles, Suvla Bay, on 6^th August 1915)

Memorial: The Helles Memorial Turkey Panel 55 – 58

Commemorated:

The Marquess of Londonderry Roll of Honour for Seaham Colliery includes two soldiers named Cowley Jas. One is starred as a casualty.

Seaham Soldier’s Death: W E 11.8.15.

Mr and Mrs Cowley of 9 Bank Head Street New Seaham have received official intimation that their son, Private James Cowley of the 6^th Yorks, has died of wounds received at the Dardanelles. Private Cowley enlisted shortly after the outbreak of war and sailed for the east on July 3^rd. He was wounded on August 11^th. Before joining the army he worked at Seaham Colliery and was only 21 years of age. SWN

Additional Information:

Born Seaham Harbour (a) 1894

Son of **Michael Cowley

Former Seaham Colliery Miner

Died aged 21 years.

P&D

*NB SDGW give his name as Joseph Cowley

**NB When the CWGC compiled its records in the 1920’s Michael Cowley was deceased and his widow living at 14 Clara Street

Hope you can assist.

Keep the candle burning.

John & Kathleen

[Coldstreamer]

The date of entry on the MIC is 14th July 1915 (2b Balkans)

[old-ted]

Coldstreamer,

is that his date of entry to the theatre of war (as far as we know they landed on 6th Aug 15) & is (2b Balkans) the theatre?

Regards

J&K

[Coldstreamer]

to quote the LLT

Up to the end of 1915, it was normal practice to enter the date on which the man had first disembarked in a theatre of war.

Balkans is his first theatre

[old-ted]

Coldstreamer,

From LLT 6th Yorkshire Rgt. "Sailed from Liverpool on 3 July 1915, going via Mudros to Suvla bay, disembarking on 6 August 1915". Would that "via Mudros" account for the date on the MIC?

J&K

[Coldstreamer]

would make sense but no expert in these things as the CG only went France/Belgium

[joseph]

J & K,

32nd Brigade 11th Division landed at Mudros Bay, Lemnos on 14th July 1915 which is in the Balkans, the code 2b wasn't introduced until 1st Jan 1916 so a slight anomolly on his MIC as prior to that the code 2 was all of the Balkans.

Regards Charles

[old-ted]

We have received this by email from Ed Nichol who runs a Yorkshire Rgt web site.

I have checked Wylly's History of the Green Howards in the First World

War (based very heavily on the War Diaries) and there is no mention of

there having been any special incident as regards evacuation of

casualties by ship from Gallipoli.

I know that several of the men of the Yorkshire Regiment, having been

wounded at Gallipoli, were evacuated to hospitals in Malta and Egypt

and, - having died there, have graves in those countries.

I can only assume that James (Joseph in SDGW) Cowley died during

evacuation and was buried at sea.

Reading the description of the Hollybrook Memorial in Southampton, it

sounds as though burial at sea was practised.

There are several men of the Yorkshire Regiment on the Hollybrook

Memorial, though, - in their case, their hospital ships were sunk by

mines / torpedoes.

Any more info out there?

J&K

[old-ted]

Another Seaham lad in the same regiment as J Cowley gives his version of the Suvla Bay landings.

*Tizard Joseph Junior: Lance Corporal 14883 6^th Yorks

Address: 11 School Street New Seaham

The Suvla Bay Landing; Seaham Weekly News w e 10.9.15.

Lance Corporal Joseph Tizard of the 6^th Btn. Yorkshire Regiment, whose parents reside at 11 School Street New Seaham, writing from hospital at Southampton, gives some interesting glimpses of the Suvla Bay Landing. He says:-

“We went into action on 6^th August. We left – Island about 6pm and made our way to Suvla Bay. We just reached the beach when we were met by a rain of bullets. I may tell you that the Yorks had the honour of making the first charge. When we heard the bullets whizzing we all dropped flat until we got the order to advance. We were under heavy rifle fire all the time but our lads seemed to be eager for it and gave a good account of themselves. At the first charge we forced the Turks to retire. We went on attacking until about noon on the Saturday. I think the Turks’ big guns are very poor shots, for while the 10^th Division were coming up to relieve us they were under fire the whole time but never lost a man. We advanced about 2 ½ miles before it broke daylight. We were attacking all day on Sunday and advanced a little. Between Sunday night and Monday morning the Turks’ snipers were very busy and kept hitting a man here and there. For three solid hours we lay on the ground, heads pressed down, and if any of us had just shown our heads we would have been hit. The Turks are rotten shots, but their snipers are deadly and very cunning. Two of the snipers who were killed had our tunics and helmets on. After safely getting through an open space and I had just dropped into cover a bullet grazed my cheek and brought blood. It was nothing but about five minutes later another bullet hit me in the leg and I was put out of action. I was taken down to the beach and put on a hospital ship.” SWN

Londonderry Papers (Malcolm Dillon Correspondence) DCRO

[/font]August 26^th

Dear Lady Londonderry,

The following is a candidate for admittance to Seaham Hall Convalescent Hospital:-

Lance Corporal J. Tizard 14883 6^th Yorkshire Regiment.

He is now in the Highfield Hall Hospital Southampton. He worked at Seaham Colliery.

Believe me your Ladyship’s faithfully

Malcolm Dillon

The Honourable the Marchioness of Londonderry

Londonderry House

D/LO/C/ 277/83(120)

*NB The October 1918 Absent Voters List for Seaham Colliery includes the following entry:-

No. 3568 Tizard Joseph 11 School Street 636615 Private RAMC

This could be Joseph Junior who transferred to the RAMC from 6^th Yorks or his father J Tizard Senior.

P&D

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Tizard J. Senior:

Commemorated:

The Marquess of Londonderry Roll of Honour for Seaham Colliery includes the names Tizard J Junior and Tizard J. Senior

*NB The October 1918 Absent Voters List for Seaham Colliery includes the following entry:-

No. 3568 Tizard Joseph 11 School Street 636615 Private RAMC

This could be Joseph Junior who transferred to the RAMC from 6^th Yorks or his father J Tizard Senior.

Regards

J&K.

[old-ted]

More to come on this lad.

J&K

[old-ted]

Just bumped this up again to see if anyone can answer or has a theory the original questions.

J

[joseph]

He would have been evacuated wounded to the Hospital ship from Suvla, having Died of Wounds onboard he would be buried at sea, the coordinates of his buriel known, he would be commemorated on the Helles memorial. The coordinates of his buriel at sea will be recorded on his documents. Not conclusive.

Regards Charles

[old-ted]

Thanks Joseph.

Regards

J&K

[Guest Whiteroseatsea]

This soldier was my great Uncle Jim. He is also remembered on the war memorial back in Seaham Harbour.

I have just recently visited the British War Memorial at Helles, in order to pay my respects.

My father kept quite detailed records of Jim's time and ultimate sacrifice in the Forces, so I can try and uncover some more information about him when I return to the UK next.

[old-ted]

This soldier was my great Uncle Jim. He is also remembered on the war memorial back in Seaham Harbour.

I have just recently visited the British War Memorial at Helles, in order to pay my respects.

My father kept quite detailed records of Jim's time and ultimate sacrifice in the Forces, so I can try and uncover some more information about him when I return to the UK next.

Welcome to the Forum. Great that you should pick up on this after such a long time. We research Seaham (town & people ) during the great war so if we can offer you any further information don't hesitate to ask.

Regards

John & Kathleen