Military: James Edward Lowe - World War II

James Edward Lowe was only 15 years old when he first joined the military. His father had served in the British army in World War I and encouraged his sons to join the militia. In January 1936, two months before his 16th birthday, Jim joined the Duke of Connaught's Own British Columbia Regiment (DCOR). This was a rifle brigade, and his two younger brothers joined when they were old enough also.

Natural musicians, all three joined the regimental bugle & drum band. Jim continued with his schooling, carrying out militia training and exercises on weekends and during the summer.

Jim and his brothers in their DCOR band uniforms.

Jim was fortunate to attend the ceremonies surrounding the visit of King George VI in May 1939. He was in the DCOR band that performed in Beacon Hill Park in Victoria for the king and queen.

Cover of the programme for King George's visit to Victoria issued to Jim during his participation in the event

When he finished his education and with war in Europe imminent, Jim joined the navy. It is not known why he chose the navy over the army having already served for three years in the DCOR.

Jim signed up for the navy in early 1939 for a seven-year tour and in July was moved to the permanent force. He probably began navy training in the summer, but was also still part of the DCOR until September 9, so there was crossover.

He was moved to the navy's active force on September 1, 1939, the first official day of World War II.

Since Canada had almost no navy ships when World War II started, many passenger and even fishing boats were converted for war use. In October Jim was assigned to the refit of a passenger vessel called the Rajputana into a war ship. As part of the refit crew, he participated in gun trials while onboard.

Leave ticket from early in Jim's naval career from when he was posted to HMS Rajputana

Jim served on several navy ships from 1939 to 1946 including the HMCS Leola Vivian, HMCS Nanaimo, S.S. Georgian (a merchant ship), HMCS Chaleur, HMCS Prestontian, and HMS Puncher. He also worked in the mess at several navy shore stations across Canada including Naden in Esquimalt, BC; Chatham in Prince Rupert, BC; and Stadacona in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was also stationed at HMCS Avalon, a Canadian Navy shore station in Newfoundland, although Newfoundland was not part of Canada yet.

HMCS Prestonina, one of the ships that Jim served on during the war

Although he was trained as both a cook and a mechanic, Jim was assigned a cooking position. This may have been his request, but it is also possible that they simply had more recruits trained as mechanics than they had cooks. In addition to cooking for crews and being in charge of "messes" (or military kitchens) both on ships and at shore stations, he also trained other sailors to become cooks.

These photos were taken during cooking classes that Jim either took or taught

Most of the Canadian navy's ships acted as convoy escorts and while on these, Jim visited ports such as Kingston Jamaica, Reykjavik Iceland and Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. He said that the most dangerous action he got during the war was babysitting the admiral’s kids, but history tells a different story. Convey escorting was a dangerous operation, with the possibility of torpedoes and mines a continuing fear.

Crew of the HMCS Nanaimo, Kingston Jamaica
James Lowe in the very back row second from right (in shadow)

A photo from Jim's collection taken on convoy escort in the North Atlantic in 1944

Jim served on the aircraft carrier the Puncher at the very end of the war

Jim was made a Petty Officer in 1942 and a Chief Petty Officer in 1944, and we believe that he was the youngest Chief Petty Office in the Canadian Navy at the time. The explanation for this is that he had extra experience from his time in the army militia before his naval service and that this helped him move up ranks earlier. Also, as a trainer, he would need to have officer status.

Jim received a number of medals during his service plus awards for sharp shooting. Most of these medals have been lost over the years, but a few survive.

Some of the medals awarded to James Edward Lowe

Following are some of the items that Jim kept as souvenirs from his days in the navy.

Photo taken on leave in New York City in 1944 (Jim is on the right)

A card that Jim kept from a navy party celebrating the New Year 1945

Souvenir programme from a navy dance in 1945 that Jim attended

During the war, service personnel had to prove they were legal drinking age in the provinces where
they were stationed; since there weren't driving licenses with photographs as we have now for ID,
they issued drinking permits; above and below are permits issued to Jim in 1944

After the war, Jim served in the reserves in the Royal Signal Corp. As you can see from the photograph below he continued with cooking positions in that service.