Austral
WA

Thomas Edward Cowley

Enlistment Date
21/07/1915
Age At Enlistment
24
Rank On Enlistment
2nd Lieutenant
Rank Attained At War’s End
Lieutenant
Battalion
11th Battalion, 15th Reinforcement
Fate
Returned
Fate Date
20/08/1918
Occupation
Commercial Traveller
Place of Birth
Liverpool, England
Religion
Church Of England
Marital Status
Single
Embarkation Details
Embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia, on board HMAT A38 Ulysses on 1 April 1916
Honours
Military Cross

Born in Liverpool, England, Thomas Edward Cowley moved to Australia where he took up residence in Fremantle. Cowley played soccer for Austral, before enlisting in 1915, at 24 years of age. Cowley was awarded the Military Cross as per the Commonwealth Gazette for his “conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during an attack. In spite of heavy casualties from machine gun and shell fire, he organized his gun teams and reached the allotted objective. during the advance he brought his guns into action and silenced two enemy machine guns which were temporarily holding up the attack. By his resource and courage he set a fine example to his men. He was finally wounded.” Thomas Cowley returned to Australia in August, 1918 and died 27 years later at the age of 54. He is buried in the Fremantle Cemetery.