Major Hugh Norman Ramsay Cowie, CMG, DSO, 1st Battalion the Dorsetshire Regiment. Son of Hugh Cowie, QC, JP. Husband of Victoria Alexandrina Cowie (eldest daughter of Sir Howard Elphinstone, VC, KCB, CMG), of Varhn, Studland, Dorset. Educted at Charterhouse School, Surrey. Gentleman Cadet at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. Commissioned into the Dorsetshire Regiment as a 2nd Lieutenant on 18 May 1892. Promoted to Lieutenant on 28 Aug 1894, to Captain on 13 Jun 1900 and to Major on 25 Oct 1910. He served in the Tirah Expedition in 1897-98, being present at the actions of Chagra Kotal and Dargai, and the capture of Sampagha and Arhanga Passes. Reconnaissance of the Saran Sar and action of 16 Nov 1897. Operations in the Waran Valley and action of 16 Nov 1897. Operations in the Bara Valley 7 to 14 Dec 1897 (Medal with two clasps). He served in the South African War, 1899-1900; operations in Natal, 1899, including operations at Elandslaagte, Rietfontein and Lombard's Kop. In the Defence of Ladysmith, including the sortie of 7 Dec 1899) and action of 6 Jan 1900; operations in the Transvaal, east of Pretoria, July to 29 Nov 1900, including actions of Belfast (26 and 27 August) and Lydenberg 5 to 8 Sep. He was mentioned in Despatches (Sir R H Buller, 13 September and 9 November 1900 [London Gazette, 8 February 1901]): received the Queen's Medal with three clasps, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 19 Apr 1901]: "Hugh Norman Ramsay Cowie, Captain, Dorsetshire Regiment. In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa". The DSO was presented by the Duke of Cornwall and York 14 Aug 1901. He was Adjutant of the Volunteers Jun 1901-Feb 1904 and of his battalion Sep 1904-Jan 1905. He was DAQMG in the Army HQ, South Africa Apr 1907-Jun 1909. A Staff Captain at the Army HQ and War Office Jun 1909-May 1911. He commanded a company of Gentlemen Cadets ar the Royal Military College, Sandhurst from Feb 1912-1914. In 1914 he was appointed Commandant of the 1st School of Instruction in France. He was serving with his Battalion during the Second Battle of Ypres (22 Apr - 25 May 1915) when on 1 May 1915 the Germans launched a gas attack against their positions on Hill 60, but were driven out from the initial footing they had gained. The Dorsets suffered heavily; 90 men died in the trenches from gas poisoning. Of 207 that made it to dressing stations, 58 died in dreadful suffering. Major Cowie Major was seriously wounded on 5 May 1915 during the action in which Hill 60 was lost to the Germans. He was recovered to King Edward V11 hospital for Officers, Grosvenor Gardens, London, England and died 15 days later aged 42 years. He was created a CMG (London Gazette 23 Jun 1915).
He is also commemorated on a memorial in the Royal Memorial Chapel, RMA Sandhurst, Camberley, Surrey Heath Borough, Surrey, England,
Cenotaph here
on the Bagshot War Memorial at St Anne's Church, Church Lane, Bagshot, Surrey (see: https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/100379/) and on the Charterhouse School WW1 Memorial, Charterhouse Road, Godalming, Surrey (see: https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/198189/).