Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

James Laird Low was born on 16 July 1892 at Mains, Forfarshire (Angus), Scotland, the youngest son of William Elder and Betsy (née Laird) Low. In 1901 young James was a scholar at home in Dundee with his parents and older siblings. It may have been soon after 1901 when the family emigrated to New Zealand. The eldest son, Thomas Laird Low, was residing in Christchurch in 1905, and he married there in 1908. The second son, George Low, married in 1906 in New Zealand. As of 1911, Mr and Mrs Low were in Timaru, their three daughters with them. In 1914, their son William was also residing with them. Their youngest daughter, Marguerite (Maggie) May Low, married at Chalmers Church, Timaru, in 1913. Their second daughter, Elizabeth (Lizzie) Laird Low, married in 1914, and lived thereafter at Timaru. When James enlisted in early 1917, he stated that he and his parents had been in New Zealand for 10 years, which was aslight variation on his brother William’s declaration. James Laird Low enlisted on 26 March 1917 at Christchurch, naming his mother as next-of-kin – Mrs B. Low, 35 Dee Street, Timaru. He was a painter, which trade he followed for life, single and Presbyterian. It was not until 5 June 1918 that Private J. L. Low embarked, leaving for Liverpool with the 38th Reinforcements by the “Remuera”. Private James Low returned to New Zealand per the “Port Hacking” which was due at Lyttelton about 14 August 1919. James married Gladys Anne Merea Burns in 1923. Their son was born in 1930. James died on 26 January 1964 at Christchurch, aged 71 years, predeceased by his wife. He bequeathed the whole of his Estate to his son, Peter James Low, declaring that, as of May 1959, the bulk of the furniture and effects in his dwelling house belonged to his son. Mrs Betsy Laird Low, who died in October 1919 at her Timaru residence, aged 68 years, and Mr William Elder Low, who died in September 1926 at Timaru, aged 72 years, are buried in the Timaru Cemetery. His brother, William Low, also served with the New Zealand Forces.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [24 April 2021]; Timaru Herald, 12 December 1908, 26 April 1913, 23 May 1913, 28 September 1917, 30 July 1919, 11 August 1919, 4 October 1919, 2 & 14 September 1926 (Papers Past) [07 April 20215; 24, 26 & 27 April 2021]; 1891 & 1901 census returns for Scotland (ancestry.com.au) [24 April 2021]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [24 & 26 April 2021]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC branch NZSG

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.