2nd Lt
John Low
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 01/11/1894 |
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Place of birth: Balquhindachy, Turriff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, United Kingdom |
Army information
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Country: Scotland, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Second Lieutenant |
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Enlistment date: 19/10/1914 |
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Units: — King's Royal Rifle Corps, 13th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 10/01/1918 |
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Place of death: Circus Point, Zandvoorde, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 23 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 115 |
Distinctions and medals 4
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1914-15 Star Medal |
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British War Medal Medal |
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Mentioned in Despatches Honourable mentioning — 24/05/1918 |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
John Low was born on the 1st of November 1894 in Balquhindachy, Turriff, Aberdeenshire, Schotland. The was the son of farmer William and Jane Gammie. On October 19th, 1914, John joined the 4th Battalion Gordon Highlanders. He served with the British Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from February 1915 until his return in January 1917. John trained at Aldershot until August 30, 1917, when he was gazetted as a Second Lieutenant. He served as a Second Lieutenant in the 13th Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps, part of the 111th Brigade, of the 37th Division.
On the 5th of January 1918 the 13th Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps relieved the troops at the front-line west of Zandvoorde. They occupied the line from a point south of Zandvoordebos to a point south of Potsdam Farm. The battalion was split into three groups with The Desperadoes (a raiding party) in reserve at Hill 60. This allowed for the men on the front line to be rotated every 24 hours. The left group (part of “B” and “D” Company) had their frontline headquarters at Top House, the centre group (part of “A”, “B” and “D” Company) at Wood Farm and the right group (“A” Company) at Chateau Dugouts. The 13th Battalion completed their relief at 7.45 a.m. on January 5th.
On the night between January 6th/7th three patrols were carried out. The first was led by 2/Lt Low and 2/Lt Campbell. They reconnoitred Circus Point, east of May Farm. A second patrol led by 2/Lt Marshall and the final patrol led by 2/Lt Meikle reconnoitred Moat Farm for an upcoming raid. The following night two more patrols were carried out. A patrol led by 2/Lt Marshall returned to Moat Farm and another led by 2/Lt Low and 2/Lt Campbell reconnoitred the barbwire east of Circus Point. On January 8th no patrols were carried out.
In the night between the January 9th/10th, 1918, raids on Moat Farm and a pillbox near Circus Point were carried out, but it’s unclear what happened. The war diary states “See reports, sketches etc.” but sadly, these documents were lost. The battalion was relieved in the evening of January 11th and this relief was complete at 11 p.m.
John Low, aged 23, was killed in action on January 10th, 1918. He was killed while in command of the raiding party attacking the pillbox near Circus Point. A letter from his Commanding Officer to his mother gives more details about his death: “Then acting on his instructions to obtain prisoners, though he still got go assurance that they were ready to surrender, he plunged into the pillbox. Most were prepared to yield, but the leader, treacherously hiding behind a man who had his hand up, diverted his attention by a trick; this man shouted out in excellent English: “Look out, sir; there is another behind you!” Your boy turned round, and he shot him. I believe, through the neck. He fell, and those in the pillbox with him say he was dead.” Second Lieutenant Low has no known grave and is remembered on panel 115 of the Tyne Cot Memorial.
On the 5th of January 1918 the 13th Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps relieved the troops at the front-line west of Zandvoorde. They occupied the line from a point south of Zandvoordebos to a point south of Potsdam Farm. The battalion was split into three groups with The Desperadoes (a raiding party) in reserve at Hill 60. This allowed for the men on the front line to be rotated every 24 hours. The left group (part of “B” and “D” Company) had their frontline headquarters at Top House, the centre group (part of “A”, “B” and “D” Company) at Wood Farm and the right group (“A” Company) at Chateau Dugouts. The 13th Battalion completed their relief at 7.45 a.m. on January 5th.
On the night between January 6th/7th three patrols were carried out. The first was led by 2/Lt Low and 2/Lt Campbell. They reconnoitred Circus Point, east of May Farm. A second patrol led by 2/Lt Marshall and the final patrol led by 2/Lt Meikle reconnoitred Moat Farm for an upcoming raid. The following night two more patrols were carried out. A patrol led by 2/Lt Marshall returned to Moat Farm and another led by 2/Lt Low and 2/Lt Campbell reconnoitred the barbwire east of Circus Point. On January 8th no patrols were carried out.
In the night between the January 9th/10th, 1918, raids on Moat Farm and a pillbox near Circus Point were carried out, but it’s unclear what happened. The war diary states “See reports, sketches etc.” but sadly, these documents were lost. The battalion was relieved in the evening of January 11th and this relief was complete at 11 p.m.
John Low, aged 23, was killed in action on January 10th, 1918. He was killed while in command of the raiding party attacking the pillbox near Circus Point. A letter from his Commanding Officer to his mother gives more details about his death: “Then acting on his instructions to obtain prisoners, though he still got go assurance that they were ready to surrender, he plunged into the pillbox. Most were prepared to yield, but the leader, treacherously hiding behind a man who had his hand up, diverted his attention by a trick; this man shouted out in excellent English: “Look out, sir; there is another behind you!” Your boy turned round, and he shot him. I believe, through the neck. He fell, and those in the pillbox with him say he was dead.” Second Lieutenant Low has no known grave and is remembered on panel 115 of the Tyne Cot Memorial.
Sources 2
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13 Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), British Army war diaries 1914-1922, WO 95/2533/3). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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De Ruvigny's roll of honour 1914-18 : a biographical record of members of His Majesty's naval and military forces who fell in the Great War 1914-1918 (Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2010), 114. Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/833241 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=ab7ad2bf-4ba0-4e9d-9522-a7bf11213403 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/2710960 |