A Poppy
A Poppy

Memorials & Monuments
on the Isle of Wight
Links to
- CWGC Headstones -
- France : Normandy : Banneville-la-Campagne Cemetery : Nelson Victor Lowe -

Location

In Banneville-la-Campagne Cemetery, Cheux, Normandy, France
 
Description

Standard CWGC headstone. WW II.
Grave location III B 15.
Headstone

France : Normandy : Banneville-la-Campagne Cemetery : H V Lowe
 
Inscription


7938199 TROOPER
H V LOWE
8TH KING'S ROYAL
IRISH HUSSARS, R.A.C.
18TH AUGUST 1944 AGE 40
+
REST IN PEACE


 
Further Information

Nelson Victor Lowe
 
Son of William Lowe and Edith Lilian Lowe (née Vines), of Ventnor, Isle of Wight.
 
Born 1907, Calbourne.
 
Census information :
 
1911 : William and Lilian Lowe, with their children including Nelson aged 4, are at Westover House, Calbourne. William Lowe is a Gardener (Domestic).
 
Electoral Roll information :
 
1922 - 25 : William and Edith Lilian Lowe are listed at 1 Miramar Cottages, Bonchurch.
 
1929 - 38 : William and Edith Lilian Lowe, and Nelson Victor Lowe, are listed at 1 Miramar Cottages, Bonchurch.
 
Service information :
 
Trooper 7938199 Nelson Victor Lowe, 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, Royal Armoured Corps.
 
Casualty information :
 
Died : 18th August 1944, aged 37.

CWGC record ...

The CWGC record names him incorrectly as Hobson Victor Lowe, and the CWGC headstone reflects this error, as well as the age discrepancy.
 
His name is commemorated on these IoW Memorials :

Ventnor War Memorial (as Nelson V Lowe)
Bonchurch War Memorial (as N V Lowe)

 
Documents and Newspaper cuttings :
 
ISLE OF WIGHT MERCURY
 
Friday, April 26, 1940 Page 2
 
Local Weddings
LOWE - YOUNG
At St. John's Church, Sandown, on Saturday last, the wedding was solemnised of Mr. Edward Stanley Lowe, R.A.S.C., youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Lowe, of Elmside, Belle Vue Road, Ventnor, and Miss Cynthia Young, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Young, of Sandown. The Vicar (the Rev. A.E. McCraig) officiated. The bride, who was given away by her father, was charmingly attired in white satin with wreath of orange blossom and veil, and she carried a bouquet of pink carnations and wore shoes to match. She was attended by three bridesmaids, the Misses Joy and Irene Young (sisters of the bride) and Miss Zena Carr (friend). The two sisters were attired in blue and the other pink. Each carried tulips, and wore silver necklaces, the gifts of the bridegroom. Mr. Nelson V. Lowe, brother of the bridegroom, acted as best man. The bride's gift to the bridegroom was a gold watch, and that of the bridegroom to bride, a gold wristlet watch. The reception was held at Gray's Café. Mr. and Mrs. Lowe were the recipients of over 60 useful presents, including a cheque from Mr. Warne, Sandown, the bride's employer.

ISLE OF WIGHT MERCURY

Friday, September 17, 1943 Page 3

Ventnor and the War
A Few Lines From Roy Tiller
Gunner Roy F. Tiller, R.A., with the M.E.F., in a letter to this office, dated August 22, writes that it is with great interest that he continues to read the Mercury, which his mother sends along each week. "... Have not met any of the Ventnor fellows serving out here, but hear from Dooley Rogers, Nelson Lowe, and Bill Pedder. ..."

(not all the letter has been transcribed)

ISLE OF WIGHT MERCURY

Friday, September 1, 1944 Page 3

Well-known Local Cricketer Killed in Action
Deep sympathy is being extended to Mr. and Mrs. Lowe and family, of Elmside, Belle Vue Road, who on Monday received the distressingly sad official information that their second son, Nelson Lowe, had been killed in action in France, where he landed on D-Day, after having previously served in North Africa. The news was heard with great sorrow by members of Ventnor Cricket Club and a touching appreciation of respect and affection by one of his oldest colleagues is appended to this notice. Mr. and Mrs. Lowe have three other sons in the Services, two serving in the Army in France, and the other in the Navy.
Nelson Lowe possessed loveable characteristics, chief among them being loyalty and cheerfulness and ability to inspire confidence. On and off the cricket field these virtues dominated his life. He had a host of friends who will cherish memories of his humour, his kindly companionship and unselfish disposition. He gave the same honourable service to his country as he gave to the realm of sport.
NELSON LOWE
(BY JAYBEW)
It is with sincere and profound regret that we learn of the death, in action, in August, of Nelson, our 'old' clubmate and friend. All lovers of cricket throughout the Island, and many others too, will remember him for that happy carefree way of his, both on the field, and off; of his brilliance as an all-rounder in Ventnor's 1st XI. Indeed, it would not be wrong to say that he was one of the best cricketers turned out by the local club. Let us revert our minds for one moment to those days, when, with the sun shining on Steephill, he was out there entertaining us with those glorious hits all over the field, and out of it, to be followed by a grand exhibition of fielding, and bowling, and then, after the game, his genial manner to all with whom he came into contact. Great is the loss to us all, but greater it is to his parents and family; and to them we, the Ventnor Cricket Club, offer our sincere and deepest sympathy, with the full knowledge that Nelson gave his life for us at home, so that we shall be free to carry on, for those who will return to the field of his first love, and, if I may use the words inscribed on a neighbouring war memorial [*] - "Say not the struggle nought availeth, or the labour or the wounds are vain." I am certain that at some period of time some of us will feel his presence in the pavilion, guiding some young players into the ways of the game he loved so much. Perhaps in the days to come, some members of the Cricket Club will be able to pay homage to him at his last resting place in Normandy. And so, let us in all reverence say, "Play on, Nelson, we are proud to have known you."

[*] the reference is to Niton War Memorial

ISLE OF WIGHT MERCURY

Friday, September 8, 1944 page 2

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
LOWE. - Mr. and Mrs. W. Lowe, Elmside, Belle Vue Road, wish to return sincere thanks for the many messages and letters of condolence they have received in the death of their son, Nelson. They are especially grateful to the Cricket Club, the British Legion, and the Ventnor Liberal Club for their very kind expressions of sympathy and affectionate regard, and to many other personal friends.

ISLE OF WIGHT MERCURY

Friday, September 8, 1944 Page 2

Nelson V. Lowe
"Jaybew" writes : -
Prior to the game on Saturday, a touching and impressive little ceremony took place in the playing field, both teams lining up in silence as a token of respect to the memory of Nelson Lowe. The players of both teams, the umpires, groundman (sic), and scorer wore a black diamond on their arms as a further mark of respect, and the President of the Club, Mr. James Wearing, spoke following words : -
"Gentlemen, - To-day we meet on this lovely ground called Steephill, with a feeling of profound sorrow in our hearts and minds. Sorrow at the passing of our 'old' and esteemed club-mate, Nelson V. Lowe, who as you know, has given his life for his country. You, gentlemen of the Newport Club, knew him as a model of a sportsman, but perhaps, as is only natural, we of the Ventnor Club knew him beyond these manly points, his spirit of goodwill to all with whom he came into contact when the games were over. Such a character is hard to replace, and I am sure that we shall all hallow his name for as long as we, the members here to-day, are connected with this noble game of cricket. His last wishes had we known them, would have been 'carry on with the cricket at Steephill.' And so, gentlemen, I ask you to pay homage to his memory by standing in silence for one minute, which is nothing on our time here to-day, to the memory of Nelson V. Lowe."

ISLE OF WIGHT MERCURY

Friday, August 17, 1945 Page 2

IN MEMORIAM
LOWE. - In loving memory of our beloved son and brother, Nelson Lowe, 8th Hussars, killed in action in France, August 17, 1944, - Mum, Dad, Will, Gilbert, Bernard, Ted.

ISLE OF WIGHT MERCURY
 
Friday, August 24, 1945 Page 2

IN MEMORIAM
LOWE. - In ever-loving memory of my dear pal, Nelson, who gave his life for his country August 17, 1944.
Soon, alas, was his fall;
But he died at his post.
God's great gift - Remembrance.
- J.C. Rogers ("Dooley")

 
Acknowledgments :
 
Janet Griffin for newspaper research
------------------------------
Page last updated : 8 October 2015 (added further newspaper reports)


 
 

 
Site designed by Community Internet Services