Private Frank Cowan

Private Frank Cowan, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action, aged 26,  in Palestine on 19th April 1917 during the second Battle of Gaza and is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial, Israel. He had been born in Castleton and was the son of James and Janet Cowan of 31 Montague Street, Newcastleton. He had been a Territorial with the 4th K.O.S.B. and had been mobilised with his battalion in August 1914. He had been retained with the Reserve Battalion until 1916 when he was posted to the 1st/4th in Egypt. He fell in the attack, gallantly led by Major Wattie Forrest of Kelso. on “Outpost Hill”.  The Turkish positions in the “Redoubt” were captured but with heavy losses, a shortage of ammunition and in the face of fierce Turkish counter attacks the gains could not be held. Casualties were 6 Officers and 44 Other Ranks being killed and 9 Officers and 152 Other Ranks wounded. The photos show Borderers in Palestine. The final photo shows Alec Lawrie, Willie Cockburn and Jim Murray who all played football for Coldstream F.C. ( After the War Jim Murray would go on to help Coldstream to win the Scottish Amateur Cup in 1915 ).