Name: Rank: Service Number: Service: Date of Birth: Place of Birth: Date of Enlistment: Date of Death: Age at Death: Cemetery: Reference:

Sources Halifax.ca Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Peter Innes Lowe Captain 74299 32nd Indian Mountain Regiment, Royal Indian Artillery February 19, 1915 Halifax, Nova Scotia Non-Permanent Active Militia: 1937 October 6, 1944 29 Taukkyan War Cemetery, Burma (Myammar) 12. K. 24. Commemorated on page 369 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on August 6 Peter Innes Lowe was the son of Charles Benjamin Gordon Lowe (1885-1974) and Mary Isabel (Innes) Lowe (1889-1975) of Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was one of six children, growing up alongside his siblings Alan Ratherford, Charles Robert, Frank Milton, and Mary Louise. The Lowe family was marked by both World Wars; a sister, Audrey Florence, died at just 9 days old as a result of shock due to injuries sustained during the Halifax Explosion on December 6, 1917. At the outbreak of the Second World War, Peter was already pursuing a military career, having been appointed the rank of Second Lieutenant on July 2, 1939 (gazetted September 1, 1939). He initially served with the 1st Halifax Coast Brigade, Royal Canadian Artillery, before deploying with the British Expeditionary Force in France. During the frantic retreat of 1940, he was among the thousands of Allied troops successfully evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk (Operation Dynamo). His service continued in North Africa, where he served with the Royal Artillery in Libya. After being wounded in action and subsequently recovering, he demonstrated dedication by volunteering for the 32nd Indian Mountain Regiment of the Indian Artillery. As part of the 14th Army, known as the "Forgotten Army", Peter transitioned from the desert to the dense, monsoon-drenched jungles of Southeast Asia. Serving in the Mountain Artillery was a grueling role that required using pack animals to transport heavy howitzers through terrain that was impassable for vehicles. In the autumn of 1944, the 14th Army began a major offensive to liberate Burma. It was during this advance through the Kabaw Valley toward the Chindwin River, an area known for its brutal climate and fierce rearguard actions, that Captain Lowe was killed in action on October 6, 1944. He was 29 years old. He is buried at the Taukkyan War Cemetery in Burma, the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the country. In his hometown of Halifax, Peter Lowe Avenue stands as a lasting tribute to a local officer who served across three continents and gave his life in the liberation of Burma. At the time Peter served and died, his unit was officially known as the Regiment of Indian Artillery. The 'Royal' prefix was granted exactly one year later, in October 1945, as a specific reward for the regiment's distinguished service throughout the war. While Captain Lowe is now honored as part of the Royal Indian Artillery legacy, at the time of his sacrifice in the jungles of Burma, his uniform would have simply borne the title of the Indian Artillery.