Before the war he studed at Queen's College, Melbourne before becoming a Bank Clerk
14th August 1914 - Enlisted into the 2nd Austrailian Field Artillery Bridgade (No. 806).
20th October 1914 - Embarked from Melbourne on board Transport A9 Shropshire.
1915 - Transfered to Pay Corp as a Corporal (No.151)
8th April 1915 - Joined the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force
9th July 1915 - Admitted to Hospital in Alexandria suffering from Synovitis knee.
16th July 1915 - Transfered to the Convalescent Depot, Mustapha.
14th September 1915 - Discharged to Base Details at Convalescent Camp, Glymenopoulo.
31st August 1916 - Admitted to Military Hosptial, Bulford, England.
15th September 1916 - Discharged from Military Hosptial, Bulford, England.
26th January 1917 - Attends R.F.C. No.3 School at Exeter College and taken on strength.
16th March 1917 - Appointent to a commission in the Royal Flying Corp. A call had been made by the R.F.C. for officers and other ranks from A.I.F. to train as pilots. James was one of the first group of 200 Australian Cadets from the 1st A.I.F. to attend the School of Aeronautics training course at Oxford University.
20th March 1917 - Joins No.12 Reserve Squadron.
10th August 1917 - Graded as a Flying Officer.
6th October 1917 - Joins UK Eastern Training Brigade.
November 1917 - Joins No. 74 Squadron.
13th December 1917 - Injured.
15th January 1918 - Discharged from Hospital.
6th February 1918 - Returned to 74 Squadron.
'Over The Front' Volume 4 Number 2
5th March 1918 - Joins 68 Training Squadron.
13th April 1918 - Promoted to Lieutenant.
28th April 1918 - Joins No. 8 Training Squadron.
3rd August 1918 - Joins 48 Squadron in France, flying Bristol Fighters.
31st August 1918 - While on an offensive patrol, with observer Sgt R.L.G. White, over Elverdinghe, Cowan was forced to land his Bristol F2b (Serial E2469) after being hit by anti-aircraft fire.
2nd September 1918 - On an offensive patrol, flying a Bristol F2b (serial C943) with his observer Lt. T.L. Jones west of Lille. At 1930 hours a formation of five Fokkers biplanes dived on them. Lt T.L. Jones fired a red flare to warn the rest of the of the patrol then opened fire on the nearest E.A. which went into a vertical dive smoking and then burst into flames. At 1945 while on their way home they were attacked by three more Fokkers. Both Cowan and Jones fired at one of the E.A. which rolled over and fell completely out of control. They were shot up during the dog fight but returned to the aerodrome ok.
26th September 1918 - Left Hazelbrouck at 9.55am to go on an offensive patrol, flying a Bristol F2b (E2282) with his observer Lt. L.N.Jones. East of Menin they encountered 8 enemy aircraft and engaged them in combat. Their engine was shot up and they were forced to crash at 12pm.
29th September 1918 - While on an offensive patrol, flying a Briston F2b (E2520) with Lt.L.N.Jones as his observer they had a mid air collision with another plane in their patrol (E2530) at 8.15am. The other plane, piloted by 2Lt WS Rycroft with observer 2Lt HC Wood, went straight down and crashed near no mans land. Cowan managed to limp home before crashing on the airfield. Rycroft and Wood were both injured in their crash and taken to hospital.
The photo taken by 2Lt Herbert Thomas
'Over The Front' Volume 4 Number 2
3rd October 1918 - Capt F.J.Cunninghame was leading a bombing run over Izegham when a group of 12 Fokkers were spotted to the south and engaged. Two of the enemy aircraft were shot down in the ensuing air battle. Cowan's Bristol F2b (serial E2523) was seen to go 'Down In Flames' by Squadron member 2Lt Herbert Thomas at 1750 hours near Ingelmunster. The group returned to their aerodrome to report Cowan and his observer, Lt L.N. Jones, as 'Missing in Action'
Cowan's plane crashed in the vicinity of the 'Onlede Molen', (busy windmill) between Lichtervelde and Gits. The crash site was 15 miles North West from where the air battle had taken place. Cowan probable died in the crash and was buried next to a cross near a farmhouse outside the town of Lichtervelde. Jones was not buried with Cowan so was probably capture by the Germans and taken to a Military Hospital in Lichtervelde were he died the same day from his wounds.
The town of Lichtervelde was liberated a few weeks later.
Photos taken by Filip Van Devyvere
After the war Cowan's remains were exhumed and taken to the New British Cemetery in Dadizele.
Photo taken by Filip Van Devyvere
Tributes were paid to Cowan in the Melbourne Newspaper "The Argus" on the 3rd October 1921 by members of his family.
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