Rededication Company Serjeant Major Harry Lowe

Rededication Company Serjeant Major Harry Lowe - Passendale - 11/06/2025

Please find below some pictures of the rededication service which took place at Tyne Cot Cemetery at Passendale on Wednesday 11 June 2025. The service was held for Company Serjeant Major Harry Lowe who untill now was buried there as an unknown soldier, but now has a new headstone with his name on. This after research had proven that he had been buried there all those years.

Harry was born on 18 August 1895 to John Lowe and Alice Slater at 53 Watson Street in Derby. Harry was one of seven siblings, of which he was the second youngest. Before enlisting, Harry was working as a valet to the Reverand Canon Leonard Francis Tyrwhitt at Rolleston Rectory. Reverand Canon Tyrwhitt was a canon of Windsor and went on to become a Chaplain to the Forces during the First World War. Harry wrote regularly to Reverand Canon Tyrwhitt to update him on his progress during the war. Harry joined the Durham Light Infantry in October 1914 and spent the rest of his war on the Western Front.

On the 2 October 1917, Harry's battalion were forming up positions close to Glencorse Wood, in the Ypres area. The next day, the battalion was heavily shelled, sustaining severe casualties and unable to move from their positions to attack. On 4 October 1917, the battalion was called in to consolidate the recently captured Joist Farm and help with the defence of the right flank of the 64^th Brigade. They dug in facing a south and south-east direction along the north edge of Cameron Covert. After repelling a first German counterattack, a second and larger counterattack with support from heavy machine gun fire from Polderhoek Chateau was held at bay. It was during this action that CSM Harry Lowe 'fell with his face to the enemy'. He was greatly missed by his parents and siblings.