2818 Pte 18 Hussars Queen Mary’s Own. Went to France in 1914, and taken prisoner on 20 Oct 1914 at Lille, not wounded, according to his German POW record dated 27 Aug 1917. He was at Soltau and Hamelin camps, and his next-of-kin shown as at 21 Riverside, Driffield. (Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 14/11/1914; report of his capture). Born 23/9/1886 Hathersage ‘Old Dale’. 1911C (listed as Fred Louis), already serving in the Military at Delhi Barracks. South Tidworth, Hants. While stationed at Scarborough pre-war, he met his future wife, Annie Spellings. He died at Driffield, Yorks in 1932 aged only 45,
The following is from the Great War Forum website;
‘September 17th 1914. Private F. Lowe 18th Hussars, British Expeditionary Force writes as follows to his friend, at The Dale, Hathersage: – “Just a few lines to say I am all right at present. I have often wished to see a battle, but it is Hell on earth when the shrapnel shells burst above us, and we see men and horses dropping in heaps. There is one good thing about the Germans they are very poor shots, or we could not have lasted so long, but we are getting topside of them and I don’t think the war will last very long. I only hope to get back safe and sound. We get very little rest: last night we got about an hour, and we are in luck if we get over four hours any time. My boss sent me a tin of Bruno tobacco I did enjoy it. We cannot buy anything here, the Germans have cleared every village and town. The devils go into houses and ransack the place and take the food. The Belgians and French people are the best I have ever met. They give us tobacco, food, wine chocolates and fruit. They think the world of English soldiers’
‘Private F. Lowe was in the charge of the Light Brigade when it fell into a trap attempting to capture some guns near Compiegne and the 9 Lancers were badly cut up with the 18 Hussars and Dragoons. Private Lowe has still the same horse he took out with him from England, and he is very much attached to it. The Hathersage people might follow the “boss’s” example and send our Hathersage men at the front some tobacco. Mr Roden will be pleased to receive parcels of tobacco and cigarettes and send them out to our Hathersage lads in the front.’
(Mr Roden was the Hathersage School Headmaster at the time.)