Family :

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

20 November - 30 December 1917. As the Battle of Third Ypres closed down the opportunity presented itself for a short but rapid attack on the German positions near Cambrai. Drawing on the considerable lessons learnt at Ypres the battle plan concentrated on better ground the combined resources of infantry, artillery, tanks and air support in what was in part a blueprint for the combined operations that are now a normal part of military thinking and planning. It was at first spectacularly successful but again the German ability to reorganise and counter attack was demonstrated to such an extent that by the end of the battle virtually all gains were lost. British casualties were about 45,000.

Detail :

See also: Old Wulfrunians

WILLIAM NORMAN LOWE (1899-1907 :27), Captain, Highland Light Infantry, was the second son of Lieutenant Colonel T E Lowe of Wolverhampton, and at present at the Headquarters of the Royal Engineer Services at Alford, Lincolnshire. Like his father and all his brothers, he distinguished himself in all kinds of outdoor sport. Better still, he shone by that fine strength of character that was to develop into the best type of British manhood. So many were the branches of athletics that he took up that it is impossible to name all. Here he was Captain of Football, Captain of Running, a member of the Cricket XI, and the representative of the school in the Public School Boxing Tournament. Later he shot at Bisley and elsewhere for Staffordshire, represented the Midland Counties in cross-country running, played football for Middlesex and Lyons, gained several lawn tennis championships, was captain of the Hong Kong Fire Brigade and a member of the North China Volunteers, and also made a mark in swimming and golf. For two years he was at the bank of the Crédit Lyonnais at Lyons, and then he went to China in the permanent employment of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. Resigning this last appointment in order to serve his country, he came home and obtained a commission in the South Staffordshire Regiment, went to France, and was wounded in November 1915. Then he exchanged into the Highland Light Infantry and again went out in May 1916. Subsequently he was attached to the East Surrey Regiment and he was killed in action on November 25th 1917. “Gallant and capable, whatever the conditions might be, he was always cheerful and keen, and his devotion to duty, unselfishness and great personal charm endeared him to all his comrades in the brigade”. Thus his Brigadier, while the Commanding Officer wrote: “In his duties he had the advantage of real physical strength, and his success as an officer was still more due to his determination always to do his duty and fit himself by knowledge and influence to be a leader in the truest sense”.

Masonic :

William was a 22 year old Bank Official, resident in East Mosely when initiated into St. Peters Lodge, Wolverhampton. He was Raised in L1026, but retained membership of his mother Lodge until his death. There are some arrears/ absences during the war years, but the final annotation is clear that he was "Killed in Action 17.12.17.

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley