William Bertram Lowe, born in 1885 in St Nicholas, Aberdeenshire, was the eldest of four brothers. The Lowe family emigrated to Melbourne from Aberdeen in 1901 and the four boys came to prominence as players with the strong St. Kilda club. In 1914 Bertie was seen as a hard working player and in one report his powerful shot was described as having cannoned off the bar. Bertie also represented St Kilda as a delegate to the association, on one occasion seconding a loyalist motion on behalf of the club.
Bertie enlisted as a Sergeant on 12 January 1916 (subsequent to the terrible news of Hughie‘s death) and he rose to 2nd Lieutenant. He was awarded a Distinguished Conduct Medal for showing “Courage and coolness during operations South of Messiness, 7-9 June 1917.” The citation mentioned
conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in commanding his company after the officers had become casualties. He did exceptionally fine work in holding captured positions under heavy hostile fire, setting a splendid example to his men by his cheerfulness and courage under the most trying conditions.
He returned to Australia on 10 September 1917 and died in 1928 at the age of 43. His death was lamented by many groups but sadly the club the family had done some much for seemed to have lost touch with him.
A Private Bertram William De K. Lowe enlisted in WW2. The name seems too co-incidental to be unrelated but records suggest that it is not his son.Â