OFFICIALLY IMPRESSED BALTIC & CRIMEA MEDAL PAIR TO MAJ.-GEN. J.C. COWELL, RL. ENGINEERS (PRIVY COUNCIL, K.C.B.)

KCB (Civil Division) gazette 23rd Aug 1863.

Order of the Medjidie 5th class.

Member of Her Majesty’s Most Honorable Privy Council 15th July 1887.

John Clayton Cowell was born in Blean, nr. Canterbury, Kent in 1832, the son of John Clayton Cowell and Frances Ann Hester and educated at R.M.A. Woolwich, joining the Royal Engineers in 1850, was the A.D.C. to the General and is recorded as serving in the Baltic and Crimea, 'accidentally wounded by his own pistol' on 10 Aug 1854 - a revolver which he had borrowed from Admiral Sir Bartholomew James Sulivan.

Appointed Aide-De-Camp to General H.G. Jones in operations against Bomarsund, accompanied General Jones as Aide-De-Camp to the Crimea Jan 1855 and continued with him until the close of the campaign. Attached to the flagship of Sir Charles Napier KCB Duke of Wellington, served at the reconnaissance of the action with the forts onboard H.M.S. Hecla 22nd May 1854 and reconnaissance of Sveaborg and Bomarsund with the boats of H.M.S. Albion in blowing up the telegraph station on Berghill coast of Finland 19th June 1854.

Appointed ADC to Brigadier General Jones, R.E. and served as such at the siege and until his return to England in Oct 54. ‘Tchemaya’ ordered to report the enemy’s movements at headquarters. ADC to General Jones accompanied him during the siege operations, served with him at the capture of the quarries and the Mamelon 17th June and during the assault on 8th June and on 8th sept 1855.

Clayton's appointments were as follows: 2nd Lieut. from Cadet 19 Jun 850, Lieutenant 17 Feb 1852, Captain 22 Sep 1858, Major 5 July 1872, Lt.-Col. 0 Mar 1876 and retiring as Major-General on 1 Sep 1879.