Lance Corporal Alexander Cowans

Lance Corporal Alexander Cranston Cowans, 1st/4th (Border) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action in Palestine, aged 28, on 13th November 1917. He had been born in Morebattle and was the son of Andrew and Alice Cowans of Yetholm Mains and Longframlington, Northumberland. He was a native of Yetholm, Roxburghshire and is buried in Ramleh War Cemetery, Ramleh, Israel. Before enlisting he had been employed on the farm at Swinside Townfoot, Oxnam, Roxburghshire. He fell in the successful assault on El Mughar where hundreds of Turks were captured along with several artillery pieces and machine guns. The Battalion casualties were not light and 4 Officers and 31 Other Ranks were killed and 9 Officers and 138 Other Ranks were wounded. The photos show Borderers at Ramleh in late 1917. The three men pictured are Alec Lawrie, Willie Cockburn and Jim Murray all of whom played football for Coldstream F.C. Jim Murray went on to win a Scottish Amateur Cup Winners Medal with Coldstream in 1925.

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