Herbert Walter “Herb” Cowles

Private · NZ #246536 · T1 Patrol

What this roll records

HE DIED ON 23 FEBRUARY 1991 AT TIMARU. The Press notice names him as this roll does, with his nickname and his service — “COWLES, Herbert Walter (Herb) (L.R.D.G. Div. Cav. 2nd N.Z.E.F.)”. It gives no service number, but the roll holds exactly one Cowles, the forenames, the nickname, the unit and the parent regiment all agree, and the identification is not in doubt. He was the husband of Joy of 31 Matilda Street, Timaru, and the father and father-in-law of Elizabeth of Christchurch, Jeff and Raylene of Timaru, Russell and Anne of Hamilton, and Carol of Christchurch; stepfather of Wayne, Sharon and Dennis; and “very good friend of Doug Byrne, and Wi Jones”. “A brave sufferer at rest.” His entire service was held in the Salvation Army Fortress, Wai-iti Road, Timaru, on 26 February 1991, and he was cremated privately at Salisbury Park. Source: the Press, 25 February 1991, via Papers Past (National Library of New Zealand).

Full name Herbert Walter Cowles. Listed on the Nominal Roll, 2nd NZEF No. 9 (Embarkations 1 July – 31 December 1942) and the L.R.D.G. Membership Roll, February 1970 (Auckland Museum EPH-W2-11-27). Source: Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph.

New Zealand (A) Squadron, LRDG — T1 Patrol at disbandment, 10 December 1943. Source: Brendan O’Carroll, ‘The Long Range Desert Group in the Aegean’ (Appendix IV, New Zealand (A) Squadron Disbandment Roll, 10 December 1943).

Rank not found online. Where to look: (1) Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph (https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/search) - search surname, then match on this service number; the record shows rank as published in the 2NZEF Nominal Roll. (2) Archives NZ WWII personnel file (https://collections.archives.govt.nz) - definitive rank history, request required.

See him in the full roll →

Where this comes from

• Additional sources (AWMM Online Cenotaph). Nominal Roll 2NZEF No. 9 (Embarkations 1 Jul–31 Dec 1942), p.90.

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Not By Strength But By Guile