Samuel Cowan
Encyclopedia
General
Sir Samuel Cowan KCB
CBE
(born 9 October 1941) is a former Quartermaster-General to the Forces
.
, Cowan was commissioned into the Royal Corps of Signals
in 1963. In 1980 he became Commanding Officer
of the Headquarters & Signals Regiment for 2nd Armoured Division.
In 1989 he was selected to be Commandant
of the Royal Military College of Science and then in 1991 he became Assistant Chief of Defence Staff, Operational Requirements (Land Systems). From 1995 he undertook a tour as Inspector General for Doctrine & Training.
He was Quartermaster-General to the Forces
from 1996 to 1998 when he became Chief of Defence Logistics
. He retired in 2002.
He was an Aide-de-Camp General
to the Queen.
He was also Colonel Commandant
of the Royal Corps of Signals
, the Brigade of Gurkhas
and of the Army Legal Corps.
General (United Kingdom)
General is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. It is subordinate to the Army rank of Field Marshal, has a NATO-code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank....
Sir Samuel Cowan KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 9 October 1941) is a former Quartermaster-General to the Forces
Quartermaster-General to the Forces
In the United Kingdom, the Quartermaster-General to the Forces is a senior general in the British Army.From 1904 the Quartermaster-General to the Forces was the Third Military Member of the Army Board.-Responsibilities:...
.
Career
Educated at Lisburn Technology College and the Open UniversityOpen University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
, Cowan was commissioned into the Royal Corps of Signals
Royal Corps of Signals
The Royal Corps of Signals is one of the combat support arms of the British Army...
in 1963. In 1980 he became Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of the Headquarters & Signals Regiment for 2nd Armoured Division.
In 1989 he was selected to be Commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
of the Royal Military College of Science and then in 1991 he became Assistant Chief of Defence Staff, Operational Requirements (Land Systems). From 1995 he undertook a tour as Inspector General for Doctrine & Training.
He was Quartermaster-General to the Forces
Quartermaster-General to the Forces
In the United Kingdom, the Quartermaster-General to the Forces is a senior general in the British Army.From 1904 the Quartermaster-General to the Forces was the Third Military Member of the Army Board.-Responsibilities:...
from 1996 to 1998 when he became Chief of Defence Logistics
Chief of Defence Logistics
The Chief of Defence Logistics was a senior post in the British armed forces. As of 1 April 2007 the Defence Logistics Organisation was merged with the Defence Procurement Agency to form a new organisation called Defence Equipment and Support...
. He retired in 2002.
He was an Aide-de-Camp General
Aide-de-Camp General
One of the several categories of aides de camp to the Monarch in the United Kingdom is styled Aide de Camp General.These are honorary appointments for senior British Army generals, first made in 1910. There were originally four, but the number was reduced to three in 1988...
to the Queen.
He was also Colonel Commandant
Colonel Commandant
Colonel Commandant is a military title used in the armed forces of some English-speaking countries. The title, not a substantive rank, could denote a senior colonel with authority over fellow colonels...
of the Royal Corps of Signals
Royal Corps of Signals
The Royal Corps of Signals is one of the combat support arms of the British Army...
, the Brigade of Gurkhas
Brigade of Gurkhas
The Brigade of Gurkhas is the collective term for units of the current British Army that are composed of Nepalese soldiers. The brigade, which is 3,640 strong, draws its heritage from Gurkha units that originally served in the British Indian Army prior to Indian independence, and prior to that of...
and of the Army Legal Corps.