Staff Sergeant Thomas Robert Cowan Royal Electrical Mechanincal Engineers
The Man Thomas Robert Cowan was born on Sunday 12th May 1918 in Gateshead, son of William Mather a Colliery Foreman, Fitter and Turner and Elizbeth nee Dobson. He had one sister, Margaret born in 1920.
Following his education Thomas became an Apprentice Electrician and on 8th June 1937 enlisted into the Royal Engineers, Territorial Army at Tynemouth with service number 2043107. His religion was Church of England, and he was described on enlistment as 5’.3” tall, weighing just over 10 stone and a chest of 36”. His complexion was fair, dark brown hair and brown eyes. His medical category was A1.
Thomas and his family lived at 14 Bristol Street, Seaton Valley in Northumberland and just before the outbreak of World War II on 3rd September 1939, he was embodied and mobilised.
Thomas appears to have been transferred into the Royal Army Ordnance Corps and later to the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers, on account of his trade. He saw extensive service in North Africa and Malta for most of the war being regraded to a Radio Mechanic in 1941.
He was promoted to Paid Acting Lance Sergeant on 20th August 1942, Paid Acting Sergeant on 1st June 1943, War Substantive Sergeant on 28 November 1943, Staff Sergeant 27th December 1943 and War Substantive Staff Sergeant 24th June 1944.
At the end of the war, he was awarded the 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, Defence Medal and War Medal 1939-45 and in army Order 27 of 10th February 1948 the Efficiency Medal ‘Territorial’,
Thomas was granted 10 days, plus VJ leave from 16th – 28th November 1945 and on 17th married Jean Robertson Redpath in Northumberland, they subsequently lived at 7 Hester Gardens, New Hartley, Seaton Delaval, Northumberland and had one daughter, Mariglyn born in July 1948. He was released from the Army on 19th December 1945 at Washington, County Durham.
In 1994 he applied for and was awarded The Malta George Cross 50th Anniversary Medal by the Maltese Government for his services during World War II on the island. Her Majesty the Queen giving unrestricted permission for the medal to be worn. He was now living at 14 Ryelands Park, Easington, Saltburn-by-sea.
In later life Thomas and Jean lived at 16 Prospect Place, Lingdale. Jean passed away in 1998 and Thomas then lived at Manor Court Residential Home, High Street, Moorsholm, Saltburn by the Sea, where he died aged 89 on 26th March 2008.
Following his education Thomas became an Apprentice Electrician and on 8th June 1937 enlisted into the Royal Engineers, Territorial Army at Tynemouth with service number 2043107. His religion was Church of England, and he was described on enlistment as 5’.3” tall, weighing just over 10 stone and a chest of 36”. His complexion was fair, dark brown hair and brown eyes. His medical category was A1.
Thomas and his family lived at 14 Bristol Street, Seaton Valley in Northumberland and just before the outbreak of World War II on 3rd September 1939, he was embodied and mobilised.
Thomas appears to have been transferred into the Royal Army Ordnance Corps and later to the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers, on account of his trade. He saw extensive service in North Africa and Malta for most of the war being regraded to a Radio Mechanic in 1941.
He was promoted to Paid Acting Lance Sergeant on 20th August 1942, Paid Acting Sergeant on 1st June 1943, War Substantive Sergeant on 28 November 1943, Staff Sergeant 27th December 1943 and War Substantive Staff Sergeant 24th June 1944.
At the end of the war, he was awarded the 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, Defence Medal and War Medal 1939-45 and in army Order 27 of 10th February 1948 the Efficiency Medal ‘Territorial’,
Thomas was granted 10 days, plus VJ leave from 16th – 28th November 1945 and on 17th married Jean Robertson Redpath in Northumberland, they subsequently lived at 7 Hester Gardens, New Hartley, Seaton Delaval, Northumberland and had one daughter, Mariglyn born in July 1948. He was released from the Army on 19th December 1945 at Washington, County Durham.
In 1994 he applied for and was awarded The Malta George Cross 50th Anniversary Medal by the Maltese Government for his services during World War II on the island. Her Majesty the Queen giving unrestricted permission for the medal to be worn. He was now living at 14 Ryelands Park, Easington, Saltburn-by-sea.
In later life Thomas and Jean lived at 16 Prospect Place, Lingdale. Jean passed away in 1998 and Thomas then lived at Manor Court Residential Home, High Street, Moorsholm, Saltburn by the Sea, where he died aged 89 on 26th March 2008.
The Story The medal group awarded to Thomas Robert Cowan were acquired from Noonan’s Auction on 14th September 2022 and of interest because of the unusual Efficiency Medal and confirmed Malta George Cross 50th Anniversary Medal combination and the first Malta GC medal in this collection.
With the medals came photographs and Thomas’ service book, which enabled a detailed search of Ancestry.UK and Forces War Records to take place and a brief biography compiled.
Oddly no death details could be found on Ancestry and so a trawl of find a will was made beginning in 1970 and a hit made in 2008, this enabled slightly more detail to be added to his biography and his signature on the will was clearly the same as in his record of service book, albeit 60 years apart.
One conundrum is that the three photographs of Thomas have a name on the back one being ‘George Cowan’, another ‘Thomas Albert Cowan’ and ‘Albert Cowan’! All clearly the same person. It is possible these were names used by him whilst in the Army or nicknames. A search of both names revealed no relative or other match. Thus, on balance it is likely they are pictures of Thomas Robert.
There is a monument to the Siege of Malta on Tower Hill, London.
With the medals came photographs and Thomas’ service book, which enabled a detailed search of Ancestry.UK and Forces War Records to take place and a brief biography compiled.
Oddly no death details could be found on Ancestry and so a trawl of find a will was made beginning in 1970 and a hit made in 2008, this enabled slightly more detail to be added to his biography and his signature on the will was clearly the same as in his record of service book, albeit 60 years apart.
One conundrum is that the three photographs of Thomas have a name on the back one being ‘George Cowan’, another ‘Thomas Albert Cowan’ and ‘Albert Cowan’! All clearly the same person. It is possible these were names used by him whilst in the Army or nicknames. A search of both names revealed no relative or other match. Thus, on balance it is likely they are pictures of Thomas Robert.
There is a monument to the Siege of Malta on Tower Hill, London.
The Maltese Memorial, Tower Hill, London. 18 Oct 22
Conundrum: Three pictures all of the same person. But named on reverse left to right: Staff Sergeant George COWAN. Sergeant Thomas Albert COWAN, Sergeant Albert COWAN
Medal Details:
- 1939-45 Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Defence Medal: Unnamed as awarded.
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded.
- Efficiency Medal: 2043107 S.SJT. T.R.COWAN. R.E.M.E.
- Malta George Cross 50th Anniversary Medal: Unnamed as awarded.
This page last updated 21 Oct 22
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