JOHN ROBERT COWANS 1898-1918 WW1

[louisa maud]

I have been looking at a gravestone at St Michael's Church Fobbing
as follows

Eliza Cowans died 1909 Orsett, her gravestone also includes the inscription
John Robert Son who died in France 10/09/1918, is it unusual to find these inscriptions if the body is not interred in the same grave?

This family of Cowans didn't reside in Fobbing on 1901 or 1911 but obviously must have done about the time of Eliza's death, 1909,  her husband was a farmer

The son John Robert Cowans is not listed under CWGC so why would his inscription be on his mother's gravestone at Fobbing even though his address wasn't Fobbing, at the moment I cannot find the address of the Cowans in Fobbing village

Any ideas folks ?

Louisa Maud

[cath151]

Soldiers died in the Great War
 Died of wounds 10 09 1918 France and Flanders
John Robert Cowans 625658
Honorable Artillery Co.
Born Netherwitton, Northumberland.
Enlisted Ipswich, residence at some stage Hadleigh.

Cathy

[Ellenmai]

John Robert was buried at Department du Pas-de Calais, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France. He died 9/9/1918 of his wounds whilst serving as a driver in the Honourable Artillery Company Reg No 625658. He was born Netherwitton, Northumberland. Enlisted Ipswitch. He is mentioned on the HAC printed membership lists date of joining 13/2/1917 and overseas 22/7/1917, his address was Moat Hall, Hadleigh, Suffolk.
I have two great uncles who died in WW1 who were buried in France, both were remembered by inscriptions on their parents graves, so I presume John Robert's family did the same.

Kind Regards,

Ellen

[louisa maud]

Thanks folks
I have seen inscriptions in later years even where the person wasn't in the grave.  I expected also to see something in the war graves commission

LM

[jennifer c]

Looks like he was visiting with his mother and his sister in 1901 with a Hector and Jane Cowan in Leicester. Sister Jennie Hunter Cowan 5

later both with father in Suffok sister as registered Jean H

Jennifer

[jennifer c]

Sorry said Cowan should have been Cowans

[loobylooayr]

Hi Louisa Maud.

John is listed on CWGC - As  J R Cowan -
 http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/250101/COWAN,%20J%20R

Looby










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[louisa maud]

Thank you all for information supplied, can't get into CWGC at the moment but will check it later, still don't know what his wife was doing in Fobbing as yet as either side they were elsewhere, I need to look at burial ledgers to see what address was  given, my friend in Fobbing is to young to know anything about this family, she is 85.


Louisa Maud

[Jamjar]

On the point of names being added to headstones when not buried in the plot, yes I have ancestors here in Australia and in Scotland with names of those included on the headstone. The Scottish one died in Canada and the Australian one went missing and body never found. I've also come across this when assisting others with their ancestors' places of rest.

I think it's a matter of respect and keeping the family together.

Jamjar