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Note: Info from militia attestation 14 June 1904:
Height 5' 4 3/8", weight 111 lbs, chest 34" when fully expanded, 2" expansion, fresh complexion, blue eyes, brown hair, distinguishing marks 'vaccination 3 left, loss 3 upper front teeth', religious denomination Church of England, next of kin father George Cousens 24 Canvey St, older brothers Harry and John address not known, William and Frank with father
Discharged 13 June 1910
Notes written by Sam Eastoe following his school history trip to the battlefields Sept 2007:
The Battle of Paschendale was the third Battle of Ypres (Ieper) and is the most renowned. Not merely for the number of lives lost but the amount of casualties sustained through the sheer lakes of mud. More people lost their lives in the Battle of Paschendale by drowning in the mud than by being taken out by the enemy and many horses were also dragged under. It took place on the Ypres Salient, a precious bulge in the Western Front that the Triple Entente prized highly.
In fact the Battle of Paschendale was an Allied offensive in an attempt to drive the Germans out of Ypres and to gain the high ground for their front line trenches. Tyne Cot Cemetery now stands on the battlefield and the graves of the dead Allies are placed as near as possible to where the individuals fell. You can still see the two premier pillboxes that the Germans would have used as primary defence for their larger machine gun point and you can notice the shell marks in the walls of the two guard points although the doors have been buried.
Looking towards the centre of the cemetery and uphill you can see the Cross of Sacrifice that every Great War cemetery has. This is one of the biggest and marks the point where the Machine gunners were placed during the Battle of Paschendale. Alexander Charles Cousens had made it past the two pillboxes, about 700m from his trench, uphill, in the treacherous mud and through the storm of bullets before he fell. From his position I can only assume that one of the two machine guns took him and I was awed at his courage and character that enabled him to get so far to the goal.
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