671481 Driver
380th Battery, 158th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
Age: 21
Date of Death: 15.11.17
Buried: Bedford House Cemetery Enclosure No.4 VIII.G.9
Family history: Son of John and Janet Cowie, High Street, Airth. Before enlisting in August 1915, he was employed as a miner at Carnock Colliery.
He served originally with 2/3rd Lowland, Royal Field Artillery, service number 2322 as a Driver. This unit was formed in 1908 for the new Territorial Force and was under the command of the Lowland Division, later called 52nd (Lowland) Division.
158th Brigade
There were four brigades formed as part of the raising of the Fifth New Army, which was renamed the Fourth New Army in April 1915. They are also sometimes shown as 157, 158, 159 and 163 (Howitzer) Brigades RFA. The original 158th Brigade comprised of A, B, C and D Batteries RFA (each of four 18-pounder field guns) and the Brigade Ammunition Column and was raised in Accrington and Burnley. It was placed under command of the 35th Division and went to France with it on 1 February 1916. The original 158th Brigade was eventually broken up on 10 January 1917.
A new and different 158 Brigade RFA was formed at Heytesbury in England on 13 April 1917, being comprised of 2/1st Shropshire Battery, 2/1st Berkshire Battery (both Royal Horse Artillery), 380th and 381st Batteries RFA. It landed in France as an Army Field Artillery Brigade on 24 May 1917.
(Notes from https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-royal-artillery-in-the-first-world-war/batteries-and-brigades-of-the-royal-field-artillery/clvii-clviii-clix-and-clxiii-howitzer-brigades-35th-divisional-artillery/)
The action leading to his death
158 Brigade were attached to the 2nd Canadian Division Artillery and were in position near Gravenstafel Ridge. The War Dairy recorded on 15 November: ’Casualties 1 OR killed. 2 Wounded’
(Linesman Map)
Medals Awarded
The British War Medal, Victory Medal.
