17550 Pte Peter Gow 2nd Bn Royal Scots Fusiliers

Peter was born in Blairgowrie but residing with parents William and Jane and  brothers William, James and Charles as well as six sisters Maggie, Jessie, Henrietta, Helen, Agnes and Georgina at 58 Peddie Street in Dundee.

  Enlisted 5 March 1915 at Dundee and requested to join RSF with a friend, (friend unknown), Prior to his enlistment he was employed as a painter

He undergoes his basic military training at Maryhill in Glasgow and embarks for France on 11 August 1915 joining the Regular Army 2ndBn RSF in the field on 14th August. Important to understand that 2RSF were and infantry Bn in 21 Bde of 7thDivision and about to enter into the infamous Battle of Loos which was so costly for Scottish Infantry Bns. It was here on 25th September Peter was seriously wounded.

Before telling the remainder of his story I have added a map showing the lines of attack of the British Divisions and it can be clearly seen that 7 Div, (inc 2 RSF), attacked in the direction of Hulloch. I have also added a table showing the Scottish Bns Involved at Loos including those involved in the diversionary attacks to the North of the main Loos Battlefield

Back to Peter’s story, he is very seriously wounded with Gunshot and shrapnel to the Right hip including compound fractures of the Pelvis and the middle third of his Femur. Following initial treatment in France he is evacuated to UK and sent to 3rd Scottish General Hospital at Stobhill in Glasgow where as early as 7th October he is described as extremely ill and he required recurrent surgery to remove embedded shrapnel. During a protracted period in Stobhill his general condition hardly improved if indeed at all and on 1 March 1916 he is described as dangerously ill and his family are called and he succumbed to his wounds which are now infected, infected pressure sores and Septicaemia with his family at his bedside

Having succumbed in UK his body was repatriated home to Dundee and he is interred in Barnhill Cemetery