James Henry LOWE

LOWE, James Henry

Service Number: 2180
Enlisted: Not yet discovered
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 54th Infantry Battalion
Born: Singleton, New South Wales, Australia, 1875
Home Town: Wellington, Wellington, New South Wales
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Not yet discovered
Died: Pneumonia, 2nd Western General Hospital, Manchester, Lancashire, England, 23 October 1918
Cemetery: Manchester Southern Cemetery, England, United Kingdom
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour
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World War 1 Service

19 Aug 1916: Involvement Private, 2180, 54th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Boorara embarkation_ship_number: A42 public_note: ''
19 Aug 1916: Embarked Private, 2180, 54th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Boorara, Sydney

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Biography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick (OAM) – Facebook  “WW1 Australian War Graves in UK & Ireland”
 

James Henry Lowe was born at Singleton, NSW in 1875 to mother Ruth Jordan – no father listed for the birth. (Father was William Edgeworth Lowe).

James Henry Lowe married Elizabeth Bale on 18th November, 1898 in Sydney, NSW.

Births were registered in the district of Glebe with parents James H. & Elizabeth Lowe - 1900 (6th January) for James Leslie Lowe & 1905 for Albert T. Lowe. A death was registered in 1907 for Albert T. Lowe.

Ruth Jordan, mother of James Henry Lowe, died on 26th March, 1906 at 148 St. John’s Road, Glebe, NSW.

William Edgeworth Lowe, father of James Henry Lowe, died on 16th November, 1911. He was buried in Rookwood Cemetery – Zone F, Independent Section General H, Plot 618.

James Henry Lowe was listed in the New South Wales Police Gazette dated 7th April, 1915:

“Sydney – A warrant has been issued by the Children’s Court Bench for the arrest of James Henry Lowe, charged with wife desertion. He is 39 years of age, 5 feet 10 inches high, slight build, thin features, fair complexion, dark hair, clean shaved, blue eyes; dressed in a brown suit and brown soft-felt hat; an engineer. Complainant, Elizabeth Florence Lowe, 27 Bunn-street, Pyrmont.”

 

On 4th April, 1916 James Henry Lowe enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) as a 40 year old, married, Engineer from West’s Freezing Works, Wellington, NSW.

He was posted to A.I.F. Camp at Dubbo, NSW from 4th April, 1916 & was transferred to 54th Battalion at Bathurst, NSW on 24th April, 1916. Private Lowe was admitted to Hospital while at Bathurst from 6th June, 1916 to 11th June, 1916 suffering from Influenza – mild.

Private James Henry Lowe, Service number 2180, embarked from Sydney, NSW on HMAT Boorara (A42) on 19th August, 1916 with the 54th Infantry Battalion, 4th Reinforcements & disembarked at Plymouth, England on 13th October, 1916.

Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.

On 17th October, 1916 Private Lowe was transferred to Bulford Hospital, Wiltshire from No. 3 Command Depot at Bovington Camp, Dorset.

He proceeded overseas via Folkestone from 14th Training Battalion on 31st December, 1916 on Princess Henrietta. Private Lowe was marched in to 5th A.D.B.D (Australian Divisional Base Depot) at Etaples, France on 1st January, 1917. He was marched out from A.D.B.D. on 6th February, 1917 & was taken on strength with 54th Battalion in the field on 8th February, 1917.

Private James Lowe reported sick on 1st June, 1917 & was admitted to 5th D.R.S. with Influenza on 2nd June, 1917. He was transferred to 9th Casualty Clearing Station on 9th June, 1917 then transferred by Ambulance Train 29 on 10th June, 1917 to the General Hospital at Rouen where he was admitted with trench Fever on 11th June, 1917. Private Lowe was transferred to No. 2 Convalescent Depot at Rouen on 24th June, 1917 & was discharged to Base Depot on 5th July, 1917.

On 5th July, 1917 Private Lowe was marched in to 5th A.D.B.D (Australian Divisional Base Depot) at Havre. He was marched out to join his Unit on 31st July, 1917 & rejoined his Unit in the field in France from Hospital on 1st August, 1917.

He was on furlough to England from 23rd August, 1917 & rejoined from leave on 3rd September, 1917.

 

Private James Henry Lowe was wounded in action on 22nd March, 1918. He was admitted to 11th Casualty Clearing Station with shrapnel wounds to right thigh & hand then transferred by Ambulance Train to 32nd Stationary Hospital on 24th March, 1918.  Private Lowe was invalided to England from 32nd Stationary Hospital on 31st March, 1918 on Hospital Ship Ville de Liege.

On 31st March, 1918 Private Lowe was admitted to Reading War Hospital, England with shrapnel wounds to thighs & right hand. He was transferred to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford on 2nd May, 1918 & was on furlo on 3rd May, 1918 & was then to report to No. 4 Command Depot at Hurdcott, Wiltshire.

He was marched in to No. 4 Command Depot at Hurdcott, Wiltshire from furlo on 17th May, 1918.

A Medical Report was completed on Private J. H. Lowe. 2180, 54th Battalion at Hurdcott, Wiltshire on 22nd May, 1918. His hearing was tested as he was suffering from concussion deafness & Catarrhl Otitis Media (Left & right). Private Lowe was considered at the time of the report to be unfit for General Service but fit for Home Service.

Private Lowe was written up for an offence at while attached to Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill, Wiltshire on 19th August, 1918 – Absent without leave from midnight on 15th August, 1918 to 9pm on 17th August, 1918. He was awarded 4 days Field Punishment No. 2 & forfeited 6 days’ pay.

On 29th August, 1918 Private Lowe proceeded overseas to France via Folkestone from Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill, Wiltshire. He was marched into Base Depot on 1st September, 1918 & rejoined his Unit in the field in France on 6th September, 1918.

 

Private James Henry Lowe was wounded in action (2nd occasion) on 1st October, 1918. He was taken to 132nd Field Ambulance then transferred & admitted to 53rd Casualty Clearing Station with shrapnel wounds to right hand. Private Lowe was transferred by Ambulance Train to 5th General Hospital at Rouen, France on 2nd October, 1918 & was invalided to UK on 4th October, 1918.

He was admitted to 2nd Western General Hospital, Manchester, Lancashire, England on 5th October, 1918 with shrapnel wounds to right index finger – slight. The Hospital Admissions form reported Private Lowe was admitted with “concussion deafness & ___ R index finger. On same evening began with Influenza & Temp 102. On 9th October, 1918 – Double Broncho Pneumonia”.

 

Private James Henry Lowe died on 23rd October, 1918 at 2nd Western General Hospital, Manchester, Lancashire, England from Pneumonia. The Hospital Admission’s form states that Private James Lowe died at midnight 00.01 hours, however the Morning State of Sick form reported the death occurred at 12.55 am - both on 23rd October, 1918.

He was buried in Southern Cemetery, Manchester, Lancashire, England.

 

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)

https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/-southern.html

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