11th Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment (British Army)
Date Of Birth:
18/09/1894
Died:
09/04/1916 (Killed in Action)
Age:
21
Summary
Edward Lowry Tottenham was a son of Lowry Cliffe Loftus Tottenham and Isabella Ogle Tottenham. Edward was born in Roscommon on 18th September 1894. His father Lowry Cliffe Loftus Tottenham was a former Royal Irish Constabulary district inspector who retired to Moy. Edward Lowry Tottenham was studying at that Royal Dick Veterinary School in Edinburgh and initially enlisted in the Army Veterinary Corps. Edward Tottenham won a Military Cross. Second Lieutenant Edward Lowry Tottenham was serving with the 11th Battalion of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment when he was killed in action in Mesopotamia on 9th April 1916. He was 21 years old.
Further Information
Edward Lowry Tottenham was a son of Lowry Cliffe Loftus Tottenham and Isabella Ogle Tottenham. They were married about 1888. Edward was born in Roscommon on 18th September 1894.
His father Lowry Cliffe Loftus Tottenham was a former Royal Irish Constabulary district inspector who retired to Moy. His grandfather had been the Venerable William Creek, Archdeacon of Kilmore and rector of Kildallon, County Cavan.
Known family: Lowry Cliffe Loftus Tottenham, Isabella Ogle Tottenham, Reginald Tottenham (born about 1894), Edward Lowry Tottenham (born 18th September 1894), Arthur Henry Tottenham (born 8th June 1896), James Loftus Tottenham (born about 1898), Isabel Joyce Tottenham (born about 1901).
The 1901 census records the family as living at house 4 in Ballymoney Road, Coleraine, Londonderry. Edward was 6 years old. His father Lowry Cliffe Loftus Tottenham was a Royal Irish Constabulary District Inspector.
By 1911, the family had moved to Bessmount, Killoughrum, Wexford. His father was still a Royal Irish Constabulary District Inspector. Edward was not living with the family.
Edward and his brother were educated at St Bees School. St Bees is a village in the Copeland district of Cumbria on the Irish Sea coast about five miles west southwest of Whitehaven. During the Great War, one hundred and eighty old boys gave their lives during the war, and a special memorial was built.
Edward was lightweight champion boxer as a junior, captain of his football club, and a Sergeant in the O.T.C. (Officer Training Corps).
Edward Tottenham enlisted at Red House, Coleraine. Edward Lowry Tottenham was studying at that Royal Dick Veterinary School in Edinburgh when the war broke out, and initially enlisted in the Army Veterinary Corps. He served with the Lowland Division at Stirling for several months and then obtained a commission in the Loyal North Lancashires, of which he was transport officer.
Edward Tottenham left England for foreign service on 31st December 1915.
Edward Lowry Tottenham joined battalion in Egypt, January 1916, before the battalion deployed to Mesopotamia with 38th Brigade, 13th Division, in March. Their first action of 1916 was at Falahiyeh on April 6th . The next was at Sanna-i-yat on April 9th were Second Lieutenant Edward Tottenham was listed as missing. It is assumed that Edward's Military Cross had to be won during these actions, as an entry in de Ruvigny relates.
From the Tyrone Courier dated 20 April 1916:
Mr L C Tottenham, The Grange, Moy, has received official intimation that his son, Edward Lowry Tottenham, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, is missing at the front since 9th April. His brother, Arthur Henry Tottenham, entered the Inniskilling Fusiliers when war broke out, and another brother, James Loftus Tottenham, has just passed for the Indian Army, while two other brothers are in the Loyal North West Mounted Police (the Mounties), Canada.
Second Lieutenant Edward Lowry Tottenham was serving with the 11th Battalion of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment when he was killed in action in Mesopotamia on 9th April 1916. He was 21 years old.
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 19th April 1916: Second Lieutenant E L Tottenham
Mr L C Tottenham, The Grange, Moy, County Tyrone, has received official intimation that his son, Second Lieutenant Edward Lowry Tottenham, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, is missing since 9th April. The missing officer was educated at St Becs School, Cumberland, where he was light weight champion boxer as a junior, was captain of his football club, and a sergeant in the Officers Training Corps. He entered the Royal (Dick) Veterinary College, Edinburgh, from which he volunteered when war broke out. He served with the Lowland Division at Stirling for several months, and then obtained a commission in the Loyal North Lancashires, of which he was transport officer. He left England for foreign service on 31st December last. His brother, Arthur Henry Tottenham, entered the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when war broke out. He volunteered from school, and then passed through Sandhurst. Another brother, James Loftus Tottenham, has just passed for the Indian Army, while two other brothers are in the Loyal North West Mounted Police, Canada.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 22nd April 1916: Moy Officer Missing – One of Five brothers serving.
Mr L C Tottenham, The Grange, Moy, has received official intimation that his son, Second Lieutenant Edward Lowry Tottenham, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, is missing since 9th April. The missing officer was educated at St Bee's School Cumberland, where he was lightweight champion boxer as a junior, was captain of his football club, and Sergeant O.T.C. (Officer Training Corps). He entered the Royal Dick Veterinary College, Edinburgh, from which he volunteered when war broke out. He served with the Lowland Division at Stirling for several months and then obtained a commission in the Loyal North Lancashires, of which he was transport officer. He left England for foreign services on 31s December last. His brother, Arthur Henry Tottenham, entered the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when the war broke out. He volunteered from school and then passed through Sandhurst. Another brother, James Loftus Tottenham, has just passed for the Indian Army, while two other brothers are in the Loyal North West Mounted Police, Canada.
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 29th June 1916: Sec-Lieutenant E L Tottenham
It is now officially announced that Sec-Lieutenant Edward Lowry Tottenham, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, previously reported missing, was killed on 9th April. He was a son of Mr L C L Tottenham of The Grange, Moy, County Tyrone, formerly a district inspector in the Royal Irish Constabulary, and a grandson the late Venerable William Creek D.D., Archdeacon of Kilmore and rector of Kildallon, County Cavan. The deceased, who was 21 years of age, left England for foreign service on 31st December 1915. He was officially reported missing in Mesopotamia in April.
From the Tyrone Courier dated 6 July 1916:
Mr L C Tottenham, The Grange, Moy, has received official intimation that his son, Sec-Lieutenant Edward Lowry Tottenham, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, who was reported missing at the front since 9th April was killed in action on that date. The deceased officer left England for foreign service on 31st December 1915. His brother, Arthur Henry Tottenham, entered the Inniskilling Fusiliers when war broke out. He volunteered from school, and then passed through Sandhurst. Another brother recently passed for the Indian army, while two other brothers are in the Loyal North-West Mounted Police, Canada. Since the above was written, official intimation was received that Sec-Lieutenant Arthur Henry Tottenham, (Inniskilling Fusiliers) has been killed in action.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 15th July 1916:
Mr L C L Tottenham of The Grange, Moy, two of whose sons have laid down their lives in defence of the Empire, belong to an old County Wexford family, but is connected to County Tyrone through his mother, who was a daughter of the late Mr James Lowry, Q.C., of Rockdale. Mr Tottenham was an officer of the Royal Irish Constabulary and retired years ago. He bought the Grange lately, where he resides. He had five sons, all of whom won athletic and other distinctions at school – the type of young Britons who built up the Empire. The two eldest, Harry Leslie William and Reginald, went out to Canada and joined the Loyal North West Mounted Police. As soon as war was declared, they applied for leave to volunteer for the front, but in both cases permission was refused, and they have to complete their period of service, which expires next May, when, if needed, they will enlist at once. The third son was Edward Lowry, who was not 22 years of age. He was a student in the Royal (Dick) Veterinary College in Edinburgh in 1914, and when the call came for volunteers he enlisted in the Lowland Division at Stirling, subsequently getting a commission in the 8th Loyal North Lancashires, of which he was a transport officer. On New Year's Eve he left for Egypt, and thence to Mesopotamia, where he fought the Turks on the banks of the Tigris on the 5th and 6th of April. On the 9th April 1916 he was reported missing, and it was only a few days ago the Red Cross reported that he was killed in that battle. The fourth son, Arthur Henry, was 18 years of age when the war broke out. He volunteered and got a commission in the 8th Inniskillings, but as it did not seem likely to get to the front, he entered Sandhurst and was attached to the 3rd Battalion. He served in Dublin during the Rebellion, and was then sent to the 2nd Battalion in France, where he was killed in action on 27th June 1916. The youngest of this gallant family is James Loftus, who has passed for the Indian Army, and awaits his call to the colours. Much sympathy is felt with Mr Tottenham in his double bereavement, but his sorrow is lessened by the knowledge that his brave boys died as volunteers in the defence of the Empire.
From the Tyrone Courier dated 28 December 1916:
The Military Cross has been awarded to Lieutenant E L Tottenham, North Lancashire Regiment, for gallantry in Mesopotamia. Lieut. Tottenham, who was a son of Mr L C Tottenham, The Grange, Moy, has unfortunately not survived to wear his decoration. He was reported missing on 9th April 1916, and was subsequently reported killed.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 30th December 1916: Moy Officer's Gallantry
The Military Cross has been awarded to Second Lieutenant Edward L Tottenham, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, for gallantry in Mesopotamia. Second Lieutenant Tottenham, who was a son of Mr L C Tottenham, The Grange, Moy, has unfortunately not survived to wear his decoration. He was reported missing on 9th April 1916, and was subsequently reported killed. Before the war he was a veterinary student in Edinburgh. He was educated at St Bee's School, Cumberland, and was a keen athlete. His brother, Second Lieutenant A B Tottenham, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, was killed in action during the present year.
His younger brother, Second Lieutenant Arthur Henry Tottenham, 20, died in France two months later. Another brother, James Loftus Tottenham, was with the Indian Army, while two other brothers were in the Loyal North West Mounted Police, the Mounties, in Canada.
Second Lieutenant Edward Lowry Tottenham is commemorated locally on Dungannon War Memorial and on Moy War Memorial.
The CWGC records the Edward was the son of Lowry Cliffe Loftus Tottenham and Isabella Ogle Tottenham, of The Grange, Moy, Co. Tyrone.
