Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Skipper J. Cowie, Royal Naval Reserve, killed in action in the Straits of Otranto, 8 January 1916

1914-15 Star (1469W. S.A. J. Cowie. Skr. R.N.R.); British War and Victory Medals (W.S.A. 1469 J. Cowie. Skr. R.N.R.); Memorial Plaque (Joseph Cowie), mounted in a glazed display frame, nearly extremely fine (4) £160-200

Joseph Cowie was born in Buckie, Banffshire, in 1888 and served during the Great War as the skipper of H.M. Drifter Freuchny, a former Buckie drifter employed as net barrier tender in the Straits of Otranto. On 8 January 1916 she sailed from Brindisi at 7.30am with a group of other drifters, to take up station on the barrier. As they cleared the harbour they observed the Italian steamer Brindisi ahead of them stop following an explosion, and then start to sink. The drifters steamed towards the vessel to assist, but as they passed through some floating debris, a mine was seen floating on the surface immediately ahead of the Freuchny. It was impossible to avoid, and the subsequent large explosion rapidly sank the drifter. There was only one survivor. The mines had been laid by the submarine UC.14. Cowie is commemorated along with his crew on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.