Sir Walter Cowan, 1st Baronet

Sir Walter Cowan, Bt
Rear-Admiral Sir Walter Henry Cowan in 1920
Nickname(s)	Tich Cowan
Born	11 June 1871 Crickhowell, Brecknockshire
Died	14 February 1956 (aged 84)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy British Commandos
Years of service	1884–1931 1941–1945
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	HMS Falcon HMS Skirmisher HMS Sapphire HMS Gloucester HMS Zealandia HMS Princess Royal 1st Light Cruiser Squadron Battlecruiser Squadron Coast of Scotland America and West Indies Station
Battles/wars	Mahdist War Second Boer War World War I Estonian War of Independence Russian Civil War World War II
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order & Bar Member of the Royal Victorian Order

Admiral Sir Walter Henry Cowan, 1st Baronet, KCB, DSO & Bar, MVO (11 June 1871 – 14 February 1956), known as Tich Cowan, was a British Royal Navy admiral who saw service in both World War I and World War II; in the latter he was one of the oldest British servicemen on active duty.

Cowan was born in Crickhowell, Brecknockshire, the son of an officer in the Royal Welch Fusiliers. After his father's retirement from the Army, the family settled in Alveston, Warwickshire, where his father became a justice of the peace.

Cowan never went to school, but entered the Royal Navy in 1884 at the training ship, HMS Britannia, a classmate to fellow future admiral David Beatty.

In 1886, as midshipmen, Cowan and Beatty joined HMS Alexandra, flagship of the Mediterranean Fleet. Cowan saw service in Benin and Nigeria in 1887. He fell sick and was invalided home after less than a year, but later rejoined the Alexandra, returning with her to Britain in 1889. He then joined HMS Volage in the Training Squadron and was commissioned as a sub-lieutenant in 1890. He was appointed to HMS Boadicea, flagship of the East India Station. In 1892 he was promoted lieutenant and became first lieutenant of the gunboat Redbreast. However, in 1893 he was invalided home with dysentery.