Tom was the father of Auxiliers John Stanley Douglas, Thomas Arthur Francis, Anthony Bernard Cowley and finally Robert Leslie Victor Cowley, though it is not yet known if the last was an Auxilier too. Tom and Blanche Annie Butcher married in Calcutta 22 Feb 1914. They became hotel keepers. They moved to Isle of Wight in 1922. In 1939 the family are at Green Farm, Ningwood which he farmed for 15 years before moving to Stenbury Manor, Whitwell for 16 years and at the time of his death was at Dinglers Farm, Yarmouth Road, Newport. Two months before his death he handed Dinglers Farm to his youngest son Anthony. He took a flat in Ryde. He had been a churchwarden for 14 years.
Tom died at the wheel of his car on a snowy afternoon as his car ran off to the side of the road and into a wall opposite St Paul's Church, Barton. His obituary remembers him as a genial man who had a host of friends after 37 years of farming on the Island.
| Unit or location | Role | Posted from | until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitwell Patrol | Patrol Leader | 12 Jun 1940 | 03 Dec 1944 |
Pig marketing board
He was one of the first Patrol Leaders to be recruited by Sam Watson. Meetings to plan the Patrols were held at his house at Stenbury Manor.
Promoted to Sergeant
Promoted Company Sergeant Major
5 Sep 1944 Promoted to Lieutenant
He was awarded the defence medal after stand down.
In 1939 he was a Special Constable.
TNA ref WO199/3391,
1939 Register,
Hancock data held at B.R.A
Memories of Sam Watson IOW Archives.
IOW County Press 25 Jan 1958