Walter Cowan
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Admiral Sir Walter Henry "Tich" Cowan, 1st Baronet, KCB, DSO*, MVO (11 June 1871 – 14 February 1956) was a British admiral who saw service in World War I and was, in World War II, one of the oldest British servicemen on active duty.
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[edit] Early days
He was the son of a Warwickshire justice of the peace and entered the Royal Navy in 1884 at the training ship, HMS Britannia, a classmate to future admiral David Beatty.
[edit] Early wars
He was in the light cruiser HMS Barossa off Africa in the early 1890s when he participated in expeditions against native and Arab insurgents.
In 1898, Cowan commanded a gunboat flotilla on the Nile River in operations against the forces of the Khedive of the Sudan. He participated in the battles at Atbara and Khartoum. He received the DSO for his heroism in this campaign.
Cowan particiated in the Second Boer War, acting as aide de camp to both Lord Roberts and Lord Kitchener.
After the Boer War he acted for a while as seagoing assistant to the enormously talented Roger Keyes, then developing new tactics for his destroyer command. They became fast friends.
[edit] World War I
During World War I, Cowan was first captain of the 18,500 ton battlecruiser HMS New Zealand and later of the 26,270 ton HMS Princess Royal, which he commanded at the Battle of Jutland.
[edit] The Baltic and the Bolsheviks
He is chiefly known for commanding the 1st light cruiser Squadron operating in the Baltic Sea in 1919/20. The squadron kept the sea lanes open to the newly independent Estonia and Latvia, enabling them to secure their freedom. During the course of this campaign, coastal torpedo boats attached to Cowan's command sank two Bolshevik battleships and one cruiser at Kronstadt naval base. Augustus Agar received the Victoria Cross for his part in these events. Cowan's forceful diplomacy ensured a successful mission for which he was created a baronet, as Sir Walter Cowan, of the Baltic. Andrew Browne Cunningham, later Britain's most famous World War II admiral, commanded his destroyers.
[edit] Between the Wars
After the war he flew his flag from HMS Hood from 1921 to 1923. Later he commanded the North American and West Indies Station.
[edit] Oldest warrior
During World War II he was given a job by his old friend Roger Keyes, then head of the Commandos. Cowan voluntarily took the lower rank of Commander and went to Scotland in 1941 to train the commandos in small boat handling. He served in North Africa where he saw action at Mechili and at the Battle of Bir Hakeim where he was captured. Later repatriated, he saw action in Italy during 1944.
[edit] External link
Categories: 1871 births | 1956 deaths | British people of World War I | British people of World War II | Royal Navy admirals | Companions of the Distinguished Service Order | Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom | Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath | Members of the Royal Victorian Order
