Charles Henry Cowley, VC (21 February 1872 – 25 April 1916) was a British merchant seaman and a recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...

forces.

Victoria Cross

Cowley was 44 years old, and a lieutenant commander in the

Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family or royalty Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Roya ...

during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the

. On the night of 24/25 April 1916 in

Mesopotamia Mesopotamia is a historical region of West Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the Fertile Crescent. Today, Mesopotamia is known as present-day Iraq and forms the eastern geographic boundary of ...

, an attempt was made to reprovision the force besieged at

Kut-el-Amara Kūt (), officially Al-Kut, also spelled Kutulamare, Kut al-Imara, or Kut Al Amara is a city in eastern Iraq, on the left bank of the Tigris River, about south east of Baghdad, and the capital of the Wasit Governorate. the estimated populatio ...

. Lieutenant Commander Cowley, with a lieutenant ( Humphrey Osbaldston Brooke Firman) (commanding SS ''Julnar''), a sub-lieutenant and 12 ratings, started off with 210 tons of stores up the

River Tigris The Tigris ( ; see below) is the eastern of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of the Armenian Highlands through the Syrian and Arabian Deserts, before merging w ...

. Unfortunately ''Julnar'' was attacked almost at once by Turkish machine-guns and artillery. At Magasis, steel hawsers stretched across the river halted the expedition, the enemy opened fire at point-blank range and ''Julnar's'' bridge was smashed. ''Julnar's'' commander was killed, also several of his crew; Lieutenant-Commander Cowley was taken prisoner with the other survivors and almost certainly executed by the Turks. CWGC entry
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References

External links

*
VC Citation in London Gazette
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cowley, Charles Henry 1872 births 1916 deaths British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross Royal Navy officers British military personnel killed in World War I Royal Navy recipients of the Victoria Cross Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War I People from Baghdad