Gowans was born in Westoe, South Shields in 1872 to Dr. William Gowans of Westoe House. He was educated at Harrow before matriculating to Clare College, Cambridge in 1890. Gowans joined the British Army as an officer in the Durham Artillery Militia, a militia regiment, where he was promoted to captain on 13 May 1896. He volunteered for active service fighting in South Africa during the Second Boer War, and left Southampton with other men of the regiment in the SS Umbria in March 1900. From March to June 1900 he served in operations around Natal and later around the Zululand Frontier, including the defence of Forts Itala and Prospect,James Gowans Boer War record angloboerwar.com and the following year he was promoted to the rank of major on 9 November 1901. For his actions during the conflict he was mentioned in dispatches (final despatch by Lord Kitchener dated 23 June 1902) and also received the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), the Queen's South Africa Medal with three clasps and the King's South Africa Medal with two clasps.
