Serjt. Robert Hayhurst Lowe, son of Mr Robert Lowe, estate agent and auctioneer, was reported missing on the 23rd April 1917. He was subsequently reported as killed in action. He was 31 years old. He was unmarried but had a sweetheart Alice Walsh who remained unmarried until her death in 1972.

Robert was educated at Ilkley College and at St Xaviers Jesuit College Liverpool. Until joining the army he assisted his father as an estate agent, and was for some time the assistant treasurer of the Warrington Cricket and Bowling Club.

The St Helens Examiner reported his death, and described his time in the army as adventurous! He had military experience prior to the war but didn’t actually enlist full time until the 18th January 1915, into the South Lancashire Regt and was posted to Gallipoli, where he apparently had many narrow escapes before he contracted dysentery. He was hospitalised and returned home where he remained for 8 months, and whilst his battalion remained in Egypt, he was transferred to the 17bn Manchester Regt, who he joined in Northern France in September 1916. Again the St Helens Examiner described his death as ‘his turn to be stricken in the fight’.

Robert is recorded a being originally buried in Signal Trench Cemetery, alongside former S Lancs’ 43232 James Hall and 43263 Reginald Thompson. The cemetery was located on the north side of the Heninel – Fontaine Road, approximately 200 yards south of the Cherisy crossroads, south of CWGC Cherisey East Cemetery. 

The burials at Signal trench could not be identified after hostilities and the men are commemorated with Special Memorial headstones at Wancourt British Cemetery.