Norman Coutie Lowson

His father who went to school in Dundee, studied Engineering at the Glasgow Technical College (now Strathclyde University). James became a distinguished Electrical Engineer as senior partner in the firm W.C. Martin and Co. working on the Cunard Liner Aquitania amongst others. He was also a keen golfer and was club captain at Prestwick St Nicolas and as an artist he was a life member of Royal Glasgow Institute. He was also heavily involved in the Boys Brigade.

Norman attended Glasgow Academy, and then followed in his father’s footsteps by studying Engineering at the University, matriculating first in 1909. He took classes in Natural Philosophy (now called Physics), Chemistry and Mathematics before specialising in Engineering and Electrical Engineering in particular during his later years of study. He was mentioned in the prize lists for his 2nd 3rd and 4th years, including 2nd place in Engineering Drawing. He graduated BSc in 1913.

Norman was a Sergeant cadet in the University of Glasgow Officer Training Corps, and had already been gazetted as 2nd Lieutenant on the 10th July 1914 prior to the outbreak of war. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 9th June 1915. On the 17th January 1916 he was awarded the Military Cross (MC) and on the 19th February 1916 he was made Temporary Captain. As might be expected, all of this service was with the Royal Engineers and by 1916 he was in the ‘Special Reserve’.

He had been Mentioned in Dispatches (MID) in March 1915 for the British offensive at Neuve Chapelle and in October 1915 for the Battle of Loos; both of these battles were an initial success that lacked consolidation.

On the 6th March 1917 Captain Norman Coutie Lowson was wounded and died of his wounds later the same day at Puisieux, Ancre in France, and is buried at Varennes Military Cemetery. He was 24. As well as the University Roll of Honour, Norman Coutie Lowson is commemorated on the Glasgow Academy War Memorial and Roll of Honour.