Lance Corporal George Cowe M.M.

Lance Corporal George Young Cowe M.M., 2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders. He was killed in action on 1st July 1916 on the first Day of the Battle of the Somme, aged 23. He had been born in Longformacus and was the son of John Cowe of Castle Street and Swallowdean, Duns and is buried in Gordon Cemetery, Mametz, Somme, France. His Headstone is inscribed ” He Gave His Life That We Might Be Free “. (This cemetery was a support trench used by the Battalion to bury their dead of 1st July.) Before enlisting in August 1914 he had been employed as a chaffeur in Cupar, Fife. He had originally enlisted in the Scots Greys but in November 1914 he was transferred to the 1st Gordons joining his Battalion in France in April 1915. He was wounded in July 1915 and upon recovery he was posted to the 2nd Battalion. He fell in the attack towards the village of Mametz which was the day’s final objective. Despite heavy losses and in conjunction with the 2nd Royal Warwickshire Regiment Mametz was captured and 600 prisoners taken. Casualties were 7 Officers and 119 Other Ranks killed and 9 Officers and 287 Other Ranks wounded.  In addition 39 Other Ranks were posted missing. The photograph shows troops advancing over no mans land. The lack of cover is noticeable as is the width of no mans land giving the Germans plenty time to man their machine guns after the bombardment ceased. The second photo purports to show the Gordons attacking. This was known as the “race to the parapets”. If the attackers got there first they “won” and if the defenders got their guns in place first they “won”. The colour image is part of a peaceful gently rolling Somme landscape today with ” no gas, no barbed wire, no guns firing now”.