John Cowans

Sir John Cowans

Lt-Gen Sir John S Cowans: circa 1914
Born 11 March 1862
Carlisle, United Kingdom
Died 16 April 1921 (aged 59)
Menton, France
Buried at Kensal Green Cemetery
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Years of service 1881–1919
Rank General
Battles/wars World War I
Awards Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
Member of the Royal Victorian Order

General Sir John ("Jack") Stephen Cowans GCB GCMG MVO (11 March 1862 16 April 1921) was Quartermaster-General to the Forces.

Military career

Educated at Burney's Academy at Gosport,[1] Cowans was commissioned into the Rifle Brigade in 1881.[2]

He became a Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General at Army Headquarters in 1898 before moving on to be Assistant Quartermaster-General for 2nd Division at Aldershot Command in 1903.[2] In 1906 he was appointed Director-General of Military Education for the Indian Army and in 1907 he became Director of Staff Duties and Training at Army Headquarters in India.[2] He then became Commander of the Presidency Brigade in Calcutta in 1908.[2]

He returned to the United Kingdom in 1910 to be Director-General of the Territorial Forces and then became Quartermaster-General to the Forces in 1912; in this capacity he was responsible for finding accommodation and supplies for more than a million newly enlisted servicemen at the start of World War I and worked closely with the Women's Legion and the YMCA to achieve this.[1]

Prime Minister Herbert Asquith described him as the best Quartermaster since Moses.[3]

He retired in 1919.[2]

Family

In 1884, he married Eva Mary Coulson: they had no children.[1]

Honours and decorations

In October 1919, Cowans was appointed a Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer by Alexander of Greece, King of the Hellenes; this is the highest grade of the highest order of Greece.[4]

Death

He died at Menton, France, in April 1921 aged 59, and was buried at St Mary's Roman Catholic Cemetery, Kensal Green, London.[5]

References

Military offices
Preceded by
Sir Herbert Miles
Quartermaster-General to the Forces
19121919
Succeeded by
Sir Travers Clarke
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