Charles Lowery
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Charles Septimus Lowery was born 1892 in Wrekenton, near Gateshead, County Durham and one of 10 children born to James Lowery of Shield Row and his wife Jane Lowery nee’ Hutchinson native of West Hartlepool. His father was a miner and by 1891 he and his wife were living with their new born son, William, at Boundary Houses, South Ward, Gateshead. James senior died in 1898, his wife and children were taken in by her widowed brother Robert Hutchinson and in 1901 were living at 47 Tundell Street, Ryhope. Jane Lowery remarried in Ryhope, August 3rd 1907 and along with her new husband, coal miner Joseph Hind, the family moved to 21 Front Street, Merrington, Ferry Hill. In the autumn of 1911 Charles married Minnie Elliott in the district of Bishop Auckland.
Charles Lowery left his job as a putter and enlisted along with his younger brother James, May 18th 1915, as Private 19181 East Yorkshire Regiment and rose to the rank of Lance Corporal during his service. His full record no longer exists but it is more than probable that his movements would have been the same as that of his brother James. He was initially assigned to the 3rd Battalion a training unit that remained in the United Kingdom for duty as the Humber Garrison. August 28th 1915 he was transferred to the 1st Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, 64th Brigade, 21st Division and posted to France December 20th disembarking December 21st 1915. During 1916 the 1st Battalion took part in many of the Battles of the Somme in France including Battles of Albert 1st-13th July, Bazentin Ridge 16th-17th July and Battle of Delville Wood 15th July- September 3rd 1916. September 15th saw the beginning of the Battle of Flers-Courcelette followed by the Battle of Morval 25th-28th September and the Battle of Transloy 1st-18 October 1916. The Battalion in 1917 was deployed in the Battle of Ypres and by June 13th of that year was in the front line near Boyelles where over the following 5 days they sustained heavy losses and many wounded. Charles was wounded during this front line action and taken to the 45th and 49th Casualty Clearing Station at Achiete La Grand where he died June 18th 1917. Lance Corporal 19181 Charles Lowery 1st Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment is interred at Achiete la Grand Communal Cemetery Extension, Pas de Calais, France, grave I. L. 23. His widow Minnie was his sole beneficiary and received all monies owed to him and also his awards of the 14-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. Charles was 25 years old.
Charles’s elder brother C107.01, C107.04 and C107.12 and at Kirk Merrington on K26.01
