Cowan, William S. (Private #802722) January 24, 1894 – Oct. 12, 1931
Lat. 42°56″47.71″ / Long 81°38’11.56″ (F.12.7)
An extensive amount of information is available for veterans of World War I on the website for Library and Archives Canada. The information below about Pte. Cowan is publically available.
William Cowan’s mother was already dead when he enlisted at the age of 21. His father, Robert Leslie, was his only listed kin. However, another document indicates on May 4, 1916, that his mother was alive and her name was Clara. However, the grave marker indicates her name was Margaret J. Cowan. The Strathroy address was Metcalfe Street, G.P.O., Strathroy.
His grave marker indicates that he served in the 135th Battalion. He probably enlisted into the 135th but was transferred into the 134th Battalion at Witley, on October 15, 1916, and proceeded overseas with the 15th Battalion on December 5, 1916. However, another document indicates that he was with the 135th when the unit sailed for Europe on August 22, 1916. He joined his unit on September 12, 1916. There is a later, nondated notation on a medical history sheet, that he was in the 16th Battalion. Military records are not always consistent it seems. Most documents show that he was attached to the 15th battalion.
He was in the military hospitals several times. He was in the hospital at Camp Borden between March 11 and 14, 1917 with pneumonia. He had an alveoli abscess in November 1917 and contagious impetigo on his face in December 1917. He was at the No. 3 Can. Field Amb. on December 14, 1917, and the No. 12 Can. Field Amb. on December q5, 1917. He was also receiving care three times in August, September and October of 1918 for his left hand. His medical record on August 30, 1918, places him at the 3 Aust. Gen, Abbeville, France, and indicates he was wounded (“S.W. left hand”). As of September 17, 1918, he was in the 5 Conv. Depot at Bayeux, France
He was granted 14 days leave on January 27, 1919, He was transferred to “Canadian record List” on March 23, 1919. He departed to Canada on April 16, 1919, and arrived at Halifax on April 23, 1919. His discharge certificate indicates he was 25 years, 2 months old, 5 ft 4 inches tall, had a medium complexion, had gray eyes and brown hair. It notes he had a scar on his left hand. Twelve years later, on October 12, 1931, he died of unknown causes.
