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Corporal Ernest George Strong Lowe

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TitleCorporal Ernest George Strong LoweSummaryA soldier in World War One. DescriptionErnest Lowe was born 15 August 1884 at Waimate, the son of Alfred and Elizabeth Lowe. Ernest’s father, Alfred was gardener to Sir Heaton Rhodes at Otahuna. Ernest followed in his fathers occupation and was also a gardener. However he emigrated to Canada before the war around 1906. He had previous military experience with the 10th Winnipeg Guards. He was 5ft 10¼in tall, dark complexion, blue eyes and dark hair.

He enlisted with the Canadian forces on 1 July 1915 at Winnipeg, Manitoba and was assigned to the 3rd Battalion Canadian Infantry, Central Ontario Regiment. They arrived in France on 15 September 1915, when the battalion was assigned to the 4th Brigade, Canadian Corps and given a section of the front on the Ypres Salient, near Messines. Duty holding the line included: nightly patrolling in no man's land, endless repairs to wire and trenches, and almost continuous enemy shelling. The winter of 1915-16 was spent in a routine of 18 days on the front and 6 days in the rear, all the while battling lice, trench foot, and disease. In March 1916, steel helmets were issued to all ranks. Ernest was killed during the Spring Offensive on 13 May 1916 aged 31. He is buried in Woods Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium. Ernest is remembered on both the Tai Tapu Memorial and Rolleston Roll of Honour.

The commune of Zillebeke contains many Commonwealth cemeteries as the front line trenches ran through it during the greater part of the First World War. Woods Cemetery was begun by the 1st Dorsets and the 1st East Surreys in April 1915; it was used until September 1917 by units holding this sector, and by the field ambulances of their divisions. The graves of the 2nd, 3rd and 10th Canadian Battalions and the London Regiment are particularly numerous. The irregular shape of the cemetery is due to the conditions of burial at the times when the front line was just beyond the wood. The views over the battlefield are extensive. Woods Cemetery contains 326 First World War burials, 32 of them unidentified. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.First NameErnest George StrongLast NameLoweFamilySingleSon of Alfred and Elizabeth LoweDate of Birth15 August 1884Place of BirthWaimateDate of Death13 May 1916 Place of DeathYpres, Belgium Cause of DeathKilled in actionAge at Death31

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CollectionSoldiers of Selwyn World War OneImageTai Tapu War Memorial

Military Service

Memorial or CemeteryWoods Cemetery, YpresTai Tapu War Memorial Occupation before EnlistingGardener Regiment or ServiceCanadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment)Enlistment Details1st July 1915 at WinnipegService Number147189CountryNew Zealand

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Researched ByL. M. Seaton

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Corporal Ernest George Strong Lowe