Career
He was 44 years old, and a lieutenant-commander in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the Venture capital. On the night of 24 April/25 April 1916 in Mesopotamia, an attempt was made to reprovision the force besieged at Kut-el-Amara. Lieutenant-Commander Cowley, with a lieutenant (Humphrey Osbaldston Brooke Firman) (commanding Steamship Julnar), a sub-lieutenant and 12 ratings, started off with 210 tons of stores up the River Tigris. Unfortunately Julnar was attacked almost at once by Turkish machine-guns and artillery.
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.