View source for Cyril Lowe

{{short description|British World War I flying ace and rugby union footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
<!-- This article is a part of [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft]] and [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Biography/Military]]. -->
{{Infobox rugby biography | name = Cyril Lowe
| image = Cyril Lowe 1913.png
| birth_name = Cyril Nelson Lowe
| nickname = 
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1891|10|07}}
| birth_place =  [[Holbeach]], [[Lincolnshire]], [[England]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1983|2|06|1891|10|07|df=yes}}
| death_place =  
| height = 
| weight = 
| ru_position = [[Wing (rugby union)|Wing]]
| ru_nationalteam = [[England national rugby union team|England]]
| ru_nationalcaps = 25
| ru_nationalpoints = (58)
| ru_ntupdate = 
| ru_nationalyears = 1913–1923
| ru_clubyears = 1911–1913<br/>1913–
| ru_clubupdate = 
| ru_clubcaps =
| ru_clubpoints =
| ru_proclubs = {{nowrap|[[Cambridge University RUFC|Cambridge University]] <br/>[[Blackheath Rugby Club|Blackheath]]}}
| occupation = 
| school = [[Dulwich College]]
| university = [[Cambridge University]]
| module= {{Infobox military person | embed=yes
| allegiance    = United Kingdom
| branch        = British Army<br/>Royal Air Force
| serviceyears  = 1914–1919<br/>1921–1944
| rank          = [[Group Captain]]
| unit          = {{Plainlist|
* [[Royal Army Service Corps|Army Service Corps]] 
* [[No. 11 Squadron RFC]]
* [[No. 24 Squadron RAF|No. 24 Squadron RFC/RAF]]
}}
| commands      = {{Plainlist|
* [[No. 602 Squadron RAF|No. 602 City of Glasgow (Bombing) Squadron]] [[Auxiliary Air Force|AAF]]
* [[No. 1 Squadron RAF]]
* [[RAF Armoured Car Company|No. 6 Armoured Car Company]] 
* [[No. 43 Squadron RAF|No. 43 (Fighter) Squadron]]
* [[Oxford University Air Squadron]]
}}
| battles       = 
{{tree list}}
* [[World War I]]
** [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]]
* [[World War II]]
{{tree list/end}}
| awards        =  [[Military Cross]]<br/>[[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Flying Cross]]
}}
}}
'''Cyril Nelson "Kid" Lowe''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|MC|DFC}} (7 October 1891 – 6 February 1983) was an English [[rugby union]] footballer who held England's international try scoring record for over sixty years, a [[First World War]] [[flying ace]] credited with nine victories, and supposedly the inspiration for [[W. E. Johns]]' character "[[Biggles]]".<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/rugby_union/article732812.ece |title=Sky is the limit for Cueto after overtaking Biggles on take-off |first=John |last=Westerby |newspaper=[[The Times]] |accessdate=23 April 2015 |url-access=subscription  |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629132551/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/rugby_union/article732812.ece |archivedate=29 June 2011}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Lowe was born in [[Holbeach]], [[Lincolnshire]]. He attended [[Dulwich College]] where he was a boarder in Orchard House.<ref name="OA"/> He edited the school magazine, ''The Alleynian'', from 1910 to 1911, as his fellow alumnus [[P. G. Wodehouse]] had done previously. At Dulwich, he excelled at a number of sports, and represented the school in boxing, athletics, swimming, cricket and rugby.<ref name="scrum"/> He captained the Athletics squad in 1911 and in the same year played for the first XI cricket squad. In this same cricket side, he played alongside future England captain, [[Arthur Gilligan]], the future Essex wicket-keeper [[Frank Gilligan]] and [[Karl Nunes|R. K. Nunes]]; the future captain of the [[West Indies Cricket Team|West Indies]]. Eclipsing these sporting achievements was his record as a rugby player. He was in the side first XV from 1908 and was in the unbeaten first XV [[rugby union]] squad in 1909; which contained five future internationals dubbed the 'Famous Five'.<ref>{{cite book |first=Jan |last=Piggot |title=Dulwich College: A History, 1616–2008 |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-9539493-2-8}}</ref> These five would all go on to play in the 1913 [[List of British and Irish varsity matches|Varsity match]], (and also produced the captains of both [[Oxford University|Oxford]] and [[Cambridge University|Cambridge]] in 1919), and all of whom served in the [[First World War]]. They were [[Eric Loudoun-Shand]] and [[Grahame Donald]] who both went on to play for Scotland, [[William David Doherty|W. D. Doherty]] who went on to play for and captain Ireland, [[J. E. Greenwood]] who went on to play for and captain England and Cyril Lowe himself. He then went on to captain the side in 1910–11. Despite his sporting prowess, Lowe was not physically imposing, standing {{convert|5|ft|8|in|abbr=on}} and weighing around nine-and-a-half stone ({{convert|133|lb|kg|abbr=on}}) while at school. His small stature led to his nickname at school being "Tich" Lowe.<ref name="OA">{{cite web |url=http://www.dulwich.org.uk/OA_Document_1.aspx?id=1:29463&id=1:29454&id=1:29431 |work=Dulwich College |title=Eminent Old Alleynians: Sport |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519215043/http://www.dulwich.org.uk/OA_Document_1.aspx?id=1%3A29463&id=1%3A29454&id=1%3A29431 |archivedate=19 May 2011  }}</ref> He was described by the school magazine, ''The Alleynian'', as "A first rate centre three-quarter. Very fast, with a capital pair of hands, a first-rate dodge on a dry ground, and a good pair of feet on the wet."

He went on to Cambridge University where he won rugby blues in 1911, 1912 and 1913, making him a rare triple [[University Sporting Blue|blue]].

== Rugby career ==
Cyril Lowe, whilst still at Cambridge, was called up to play for England in 1913. This was to be the beginning of an international career that spanned either side of the [[First World War]], in which he scored a record 18 tries in 25 internationals and was on the losing side only three times, twice to Wales and once to South Africa. He played in four Grand Slam-winning sides until his retirement in 1923. In 1913 and 1914 he won back-to-back [[Rugby Union Six Nations Championship|Five Nation]] [[Grand Slam (Rugby Union)|Grand Slam]]s and his eight try haul in 1914 remains a Championship record, only ever equalled by two players, [[Ian Smith (rugby union, born 1903)|Ian Smith]] of Scotland in 1925,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.rugbyworld.com/countries/italy/england-59-italy-13-the-rugby-world-index-ratings-7016 |title=England 59 Italy 13 – The Rugby World Index Ratings |first=L. |last=Mudaly |work=Rugby World |date=13 February 2011 |accessdate=23 April 2015}}</ref> and [[Louis Bielle-Biarrey]] of France in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-15 |title=Six Nations 2025: Louis Bielle-Biarrey breaks Six Nations try record |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/c4g741g0wwgo |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}</ref>

At club level, after leaving Cambridge, Lowe represented [[Blackheath Rugby Club|Blackheath]], and was later the RAF representative on the Rugby Union Committee.

Lowe's sporting career was interrupted by the outbreak of hostilities in 1914. Lowe returned to his rugby career in 1920, playing for England. He retired from international rugby in 1923 with 25 caps, and would have gained more were it not for the war. His career total 18 tries remained an English record at his death and it was only equaled and later surpassed by  another [[Royal Air Force]] [[aviator|pilot]] [[Rory Underwood]] in 1989, 66 years after Lowe's retirement.  It has subsequently been achieved by other players, though internationals are more frequent in the modern game and are generally higher scoring.

=== International tries ===
[[File:CyrileLoweJacquesDedet.png|thumb|Lowe tackled by Dedet in 1913 vs France|200px|right]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%"
|-
|+Statistics<ref name="scrum">{{cite web |url= http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/player/2358.html?class=1;template=results;type=player;view=match |title=Statsguru – Player analysis – Cyril Lowe |work=ESPN Scrum |year=2015 |accessdate=23 April 2015}}</ref>
|-
! Try  !! Opposing team !! Location !! Venue !! Competition  !! Date !! Result
|-
| 1 || {{ru|IRE}} || [[Twickenham]], England || [[Twickenham Stadium|Twickenham]] || [[1914 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations Championship]] || {{dts|format=dmy|1914|February|14}} || Won
|-
| 2 || {{ru|IRE}} || Twickenham, England || Twickenham || [[1914 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations Championship]] || {{dts|format=dmy|1914|February|14}} || Won
|-
| 3 || {{ru|SCO}} ||  [[Inverleith]], Scotland || [[Inverleith Sports Ground|Inverleith]] || [[1914 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations Championship]] || {{dts|format=dmy|1914|March|21}} || Won
|-
| 4 || {{ru|SCO}} ||  Inverleith, Scotland || Inverleith || [[1914 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations Championship]] || {{dts|format=dmy|1914|March|21}} || Won 
|-
| 5 || {{ru|SCO}} ||  Inverleith, Scotland || Inverleith || [[1914 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations Championship]] || {{dts|format=dmy|1914|March|21}} || Won 
|-
| 6 || {{ru|FRA}} ||  [[Colombes]] near [[Paris]], France || [[Colombes Stadium]] || [[1914 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations Championship]] || {{dts|format=dmy|1914|April|13}} || Won 
|-
| 7 || {{ru|FRA}} ||  Colombes near Paris, France || Colombes Stadium || [[1914 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations Championship]] || {{dts|format=dmy|1914|April|13}} || Won 
|-
| 8 || {{ru|FRA}} ||  Colombes near Paris, France || Colombes Stadium || [[1914 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations Championship]] || {{dts|format=dmy|1914|April|13}} || Won 
|-
| 9 || {{ru|IRE}} || [[Dublin]], Ireland || [[Lansdowne Road]] || [[1920 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations Championship]] || {{dts|format=dmy|1920|February|14}} || Won 
|-
| 10 || {{ru|SCO}} || Twickenham, England || Twickenham || [[1920 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations Championship]] || {{dts|format=dmy|1920|March|20}} || Won 
|-
| 11 || {{ru|WAL}} || Twickenham, England || Twickenham || [[1921 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations Championship]] || {{dts|format=dmy|1921|January|15}} || Won 
|-
| 12 || {{ru|IRE}} || Twickenham, England || Twickenham || [[1921 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations Championship]] || {{dts|format=dmy|1921|February|12}} || Won 
|-
| 13 || {{ru|FRA}} || Colombes near Paris, France || Colombes Stadium || [[1921 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations Championship]] || {{dts|format=dmy|1921|March|28}} || Won 
|-
| 14 || {{ru|WAL}} || [[Cardiff]], Wales || [[Cardiff Arms Park]] || [[1922 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations Championship]] || {{dts|format=dmy|1922|January|21}} || Lost 
|-
| 15 || {{ru|IRE}} || Dublin, Ireland || Lansdowne Road || [[1922 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations Championship]] || {{dts|format=dmy|1922|February|11}} || Won 
|-
| 16 || {{ru|SCO}} || Twickenham, England || Twickenham || [[1922 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations Championship]] || {{dts|format=dmy|1922|March|18}} || Won
|-
| 17 || {{ru|SCO}} || Twickenham, England || Twickenham || [[1922 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations Championship]] || {{dts|format=dmy|1922|March|18}} || Won 
|-
| 18 || {{ru|IRE}} || [[Leicester]], England || [[Welford Road Stadium]] || [[1923 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations Championship]] || {{dts|format=dmy|1923|February|10}} || Won  
|}

==Military career==
===First World War===
Joining the army soon after the outbreak of the First World War, Lowe was commissioned into the [[Royal Army Service Corps|Army Service Corps]] as a temporary second lieutenant on 31 August 1914.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=8 September 1914 |supp=y |issue=28898 |page=7195 |nolink=yes}}</ref> He was promoted to lieutenant on 20 January 1915,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=2 February 1915 |supp=y |issue=29059 |page=1193 |nolink=yes}}</ref> and to captain on 30 April 1916.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=19 May 1916 |issue=29588 |page=4975 |nolink=yes}}</ref>

Lowe was transferred to the General List to serve in the [[Royal Flying Corps]], and appointed a flying officer on 30 September 1916.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=17 October 1916 |supp=y |issue=29790 |page=10067 |nolink=yes}}</ref> He was posted to [[No. 11 Squadron RAF|No. 11 Squadron]],<ref name="theaerodrome"/> and was appointed a [[flight commander]] on 11 February 1917.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=23 February 1917 |issue=29958 |page=1881 |nolink=yes}}</ref> Flying a [[Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2|F.E.2b]] with observer/gunner Second Lieutenant G. Masters, Lowe gained his first victory on 15 March 1917, destroying a Type C aircraft over [[Bailleul, Nord|Bailleul]]. On 24 March, he drove down out of control an [[Albatros D.III]] over [[Fontaine-lès-Croisilles]], but was wounded when shot down by [[Reinhold Jörke]] later on the same day. Lowe returned to flying duty in early-1918, when posted to [[No. 24 Squadron RAF|No. 24 Squadron]], flying the [[Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5|S.E.5a]] single-seat fighter. Between 23 April and 1 July 1918, Lowe scored seven more victories, sharing one with Lieutenant [[Ronald T. Mark]], destroying three and driving down four more out of control, to bring his total to nine.<ref name="theaerodrome">{{cite web |url=http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/england/lowe1.php |title=Cyril Nelson Lowe |work=The Aerodrome |year=2015 |accessdate=23 April 2015}}</ref>

Lowe was subsequently awarded the [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Flying Cross]], which was [[gazetted]] on 3 August 1918. His citation read:
{{quote|Capt. Cyril Nelson Lowe, M.C.
This officer has destroyed five enemy machines and driven down two others out of control. On one occasion he attacked two enemy triplanes, although at the time only one of his guns was serviceable; he shot down one of the machines in flames. On another occasion, while leading a formation of eight scouts he engaged a hostile formation of twenty-six machines. Having shot down a Fokker biplane he went to the assistance of one of our scouts and drove the enemy machine down to 500 feet; at this low altitude half of a blade of his propeller was shot off by fire from the ground.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=3 August 1918 |supp=y |issue=30827 |page=9201 |nolink=yes}}</ref>}}

This was followed by the award of the [[Military Cross]], gazetted on 16 September 1918. The citation read:
{{quote|T./Capt. Cyril Nelson Lowe, Gen. List, attd. R.A.F.
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. This officer and [[Ronald T. Mark|another pilot]] were escorting a formation of machines engaged on a bombing raid when seven enemy scouts attacked the bombers. They both attacked these scouts, but at the outset this officer's machine was set on fire, and the other pilot's right hand top plane broke. During the fight that ensued each came to the rescue of the other. The other pilot first caused Capt. Lowe's pursuer to break off his attack, and then Capt. Lowe shot down the scout attacking his comrade. The action of both these officers, in practically unmanceuvrable machines, in coming to the rescue of each other in turn, showed courage and self-sacrifice of a very high order.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=16 September 1918 |supp=y |issue=30901 |page=10980 |nolink=yes}}</ref>}}

Lowe left the RAF after the war, being transferred to unemployed list on 2 March 1919.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=18 March 1919 |issue=31239 |page=3635 |nolink=yes}}</ref>

===Post-war career===
Lowe returned to serve in the Royal Air Force on a three-year short service commission with the rank of flight lieutenant on 12 January 1921,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=28 January 1921 |issue=32209 |page=781 |nolink=yes}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url= http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1921/1921%20-%200087.html |title=Short Service Commissions |issue=632 |volume=XIII |page=87 |journal=[[Flight International|Flight]] |date=3 February 1921 |accessdate=23 April 2015}}</ref> but this was later cancelled and he was granted a permanent commission on 17 April 1923, backdated to January 1921.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=17 April 1923 |issue=32815 |page=2816 |nolink=yes}}</ref> He was promoted to squadron leader on 1 July 1925,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=3 July 1925 |issue=33063 |page=4456 |nolink=yes}}</ref> and was posted to the Headquarters of the Special Reserve and Auxiliary Air Force on 7 September 1925.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1925/1925%20-%200589.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=872 |volume=XVII |page=589 |journal=[[Flight International|Flight]] |date=10 September 1925 |accessdate=23 April 2015}}</ref> However, on 14 September 1925 he was appointed temporary commander of [[No. 602 Squadron RAF|No. 602 City of Glasgow (Bombing) Squadron]] of the [[Auxiliary Air Force]].<ref>{{cite journal |url= http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1925/1925%20-%200711.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=879 |volume=XVII |page=711 |journal=[[Flight International|Flight]] |date=29 October 1925 |accessdate=23 April 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url= http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1925/1925%20-%200663.html |title=Auxiliary Air Force |issue=876 |volume=XVII |page=663 |journal=[[Flight International|Flight]] |date=8 October 1925 |accessdate=23 April 2015}}</ref> On 1 April 1926, he was appointed commander of [[No. 1 Squadron RAF|No. 1 Squadron]], based in [[Mandatory Iraq|Iraq]],<ref>{{cite journal |url= http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1926/1926%20-%200263.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=903 |volume=XVIII |page=231 |journal=[[Flight International|Flight]] |date=15 April 1926 |accessdate=23 April 2015}}</ref> and on 1 November 1926 was transferred to [[RAF Armoured Car Company|No. 6 Armoured Car Company]].<ref>{{cite journal |url= http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1926/1926%20-%200963.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=937 |volume=XVIII |page=819 |journal=[[Flight International|Flight]] |date=9 December 1926 |accessdate=23 April 2015}}</ref>

Lowe eventually returned to England, and was commander of [[No. 43 Squadron RAF|No. 43 Squadron]], based at [[RAF Tangmere]] by June 1928,<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1928/1928%20-%200489.html |title=The Midland Air Pageant |issue=1016 |volume=XX |page=445 |journal=[[Flight International|Flight]] |date=14 June 1928 |accessdate=23 April 2015}}</ref> the squadron becoming highly regarded for their aerobatic displays.<ref>{{cite journal |url= http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1930/untitled0%20-%201098.html |title=No. 43 (Fighter) Squadron |issue=1134 |volume=XXII |pages=1042–1044 |journal=[[Flight International|Flight]] |date=19 September 1930 |accessdate=23 April 2015}}</ref> He was posted to [[No. 2 Flying Training School RAF|No. 2 Flying Training School]], based at [[RAF Digby]], on 18 November 1930.<ref>{{cite journal |url= http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1930/untitled0%20-%201501.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=1145 |volume=XXII |page=1423 |journal=[[Flight International|Flight]] |date=5 December 1930 |accessdate=23 April 2015}}</ref> Lowe was promoted to wing commander on 1 January 1933,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=30 December 1932 |supp=y |issue=33898 |page=16 |nolink=yes}}</ref> and in August was appointed chief instructor of the [[Oxford University Air Squadron]], succeeding [[Keith Park]], and being the first Cambridge man to command the Oxford Squadron.<ref>{{cite journal |url= http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1934/1934%20-%200902.html |title=Oxford University Air Squadron |issue=1340 |volume=XXVI |page=904 |journal=[[Flight International|Flight]] |date=30 August 1934 |accessdate=23 April 2015}}</ref> On 31 December 1937 Lowe was promoted to group captain,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=31 December 1937 |issue=34468 |page=8194 |nolink=yes}}</ref> and retired from the Royal Air Force on 7 October 1944.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=13 October 1944 |supp=y |issue=36748 |page=4737 |nolink=yes}}</ref>
 
Lowe died in 1983, aged 91.

==See also==
* [[List of top English points scorers and try scorers]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20040622210027/http://www.planet-rugby.com/stats/players/player_details.phtml?playerCode=ELO6 Planet-Rugby bio]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lowe, Cyril}}
[[Category:1891 births]]
[[Category:1983 deaths]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Lincolnshire]]
[[Category:Royal Flying Corps officers]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force group captains]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:British World War I flying aces]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Military Cross]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)]]
[[Category:English rugby union players]]
[[Category:English aviators]]
[[Category:People from Holbeach]]
[[Category:People educated at Dulwich College]]
[[Category:England international rugby union players]]
[[Category:Cambridge University R.U.F.C. players]]
[[Category:Blackheath F.C. players]]
[[Category:Alumni of Pembroke College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:Royal Army Service Corps officers]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Rugby union players from Lincolnshire]]
[[Category:Rugby union wings]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force officers]]
[[Category:20th-century English sportsmen]]