Anyone ever know the late PH Alan Lowe???

I hunted plains game with Allen for 15 days in 1986. I hear from his wife every 6-8 months. Wonderful guy

I have on old friend, recently deceased, who hunted with Alan in the late 70's or the very early 80's. He took a real nice buffalo, some PG and a mid sized (30-40#) bull elephant.

He spoke very highly of Alan. We spoke of his death, the unfired rifle found nearby (a borrowed Brno with the "backward" safety IIRC) and what may have transpired before being killed by the elephant.

RCG

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Originally posted by DArcy_Echols_Co:
I hunted plains game with Allen for 15 days in 1986. I hear from his wife every 6-8 months. Wonderful guy

He was who my friend Nigel "appied" under.

Thought it would be neat for some folks to tell some stories about him.

quote:

Originally posted by RCG:
I have on old friend, recently deceased, who hunted with Alan in the late 70's or the very early 80's. He took a real nice buffalo, some PG and a mid sized (30-40#) bull elephant.

He spoke very highly of Alan. We spoke of his death, the unfired rifle found nearby (a borrowed Brno with the "backward" safety IIRC) and what may have transpired before being killed by the elephant.

RCG

Yes...for those who don't know...Allen was killed by ele in Chewore South right against the escarpment in what would be the NW corner of what is now Chewore South. It was all together then and just Chewore.

Yes, He's been to my home here in Southern Illinois. I met him in Zim. back in 81. Didn't actually hunt with him but a friend from here did. I understand there's a monument on the location where he met his demise.
Rich Elliott

quote:

Originally posted by Rich Elliott:
Yes, He's been to my home here in Southern Illinois. I met him in Zim. back in 81. Didn't actually hunt with him but a friend from here did. I understand there's a monument on the location where he met his demise.
Rich Elliott

Rich,

I am not sure about the monument. I have been real close to where he was killed and no one mentioned a monument but I will check on that.

I first became excited about Ele hunting from a story written by an Aus hunter that went on a safari with Allen and a Manton 450/400.

A friend of mine hunted with him twice. I spoke with him at length by phone setting up a hunt just before he was killed.

By all counts a fine fellow and hunter.

troy

Two friends and I had our first safari with him back in '89. We hunted Chewore and spent some time at his lovely home, now confiscated by the "government". He was a superb host and hunter. He was also a magnificent shot. One of us hit a wildebeeste with a Silvertip that exploded on the surface with no penetration. (We saw this later.) Alan shouldered his 308 with iron sights and snap-shot at what we paced at 208 long steps. Dropped it dead with one shot. I believe we were the last clients before the hunt in which he was killed. Just as good were his stories of his service during the insurgency, if that's what we call it now. He gave me a life-long case of Africa fever, which has enriched my life. RIP.

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Originally posted by ledvm:

quote:

Originally posted by Rich Elliott:
Yes, He's been to my home here in Southern Illinois. I met him in Zim. back in 81. Didn't actually hunt with him but a friend from here did. I understand there's a monument on the location where he met his demise.
Rich Elliott

Rich,

I am not sure about the monument. I have been real close to where he was killed and no one mentioned a monument but I will check on that.

I don't know if there is a monument, but I have read that there is a plaque on a baobab.

Yes, there is a plaque on a baobab. And anoterh at the rifa education camp for which he did so much.

I was at Sengwa research at the time so only 'know' second hand stories and 'facts' as related by others. The man who picked up the pieces died recently in Harare, and he never specuated on what went wrong. He would just say that Allan died like the sportsman he was doing what he loved.

quote:

Originally posted by Ganyana:
Yes, there is a plaque on a baobab. And anoterh at the rifa education camp for which he did so much.

I was at Sengwa research at the time so only 'know' second hand stories and 'facts' as related by others. The man who picked up the pieces died recently in Harare, and he never specuated on what went wrong. He would just say that Allan died like the sportsman he was doing what he loved.

I don't mean to be flippant, so please don't take it that way.

But we all have to go sometime. And if he went doing what he loved, that's a good way to go.

I'm sure that's not much comfort to those he left behind.

From his friend and apprentice Nigel Theisen:

"Yes . . . . . there is a plaque fixed to a baobab tree in the escarpment hills near where he was killed – with an inscription and dates on it. I keep promising to take Alan’s eldest daughter to see it but just never get round to it – will do one day and get some pictures."

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We spoke of his death, the unfired rifle found nearby (a borrowed Brno with the "backward" safety IIRC) and what may have transpired before being killed by the elephant.

One of the speculations has always been that he was unfamiliar with that brno safety and never had time but for one quick shot.

From hearing friends talk about him...he must have been one great fellow and true professional at hunting!!!

I was hoping that an old client that had hunted with him would chime in and tell some good-ole-times stories about him.

One story I've heard/read is to the effect that the rifle had had its safety converted and somehow reverted to its prior (opposite) state. If that is so, when he went to "fire" he actually went to "safe."

Another version: conversion from cock on closing to cock on opening. If that is so, it's hard to understand exactly how the rifle malfed if in fact he got one shot off.

Given his skill and experience, people close to him seemed certain that he was killed by an equipment issue of some kind.

The fact that he's well remembered (and remembered well) after all these years is a pretty good testament to the kind of man he was.
Rich Elliott

quote:

Originally posted by mauser93:
One story I've heard/read is to the effect that the rifle had had its safety converted and somehow reverted to its prior (opposite) state. If that is so, when he went to "fire" he actually went to "safe."

Another version: conversion from cock on closing to cock on opening. If that is so, it's hard to understand exactly how the rifle malfed if in fact he got one shot off.

Given his skill and experience, people close to him seemed certain that he was killed by an equipment issue of some kind.

To the best of my knowledge...I don't think the rifle was ever fired.

quote:

Originally posted by Rich Elliott:
The fact that he's well remembered (and remembered well) after all these years is a pretty good testament to the kind of man he was.
Rich Elliott

I was actually driving into camp in Dande (Masoka's Village) when it happened and had the dubious honour of having to drive Alan's daughter Cathy (who was our camp manager) to the airstrip where she received the news from her now husband - Duff Gifford. Needless to say it was not a happy day.

Alan had been on a walking safari where he would meet the car every day in a fly camp before carrying on on foot the next day. Don't hear of too many hunts like that in this smash and grab era.

His assistant hunter came through our camp a day or so later (I am assuming this is who Ganyana refers to - initials SdB - can't believe he would be dead so young ??). He had picked up the pieces and was still shaken.

As I recall what they had reconstructed was that Alan had got into a herd of cheeky cows and had attempted to "pull" the charge of the most cheeky cow, while sending the client,scout and tracker towards safety.

Nobody saw the actual goring and so I would imagine that most accounts are surmise at best. Needless to say Alan knew what he was doing and the impression that I got was that he had acted in a manner that was definitely putting the client's safety first, and was trying not to shoot in self defense.

Certainly he was a great PH and greater character, as youngsters we sought out his company at meetings and so on. RIP.

Thanks for the post - ledvm - good to remember guys like Alan Lowe.

JTHunt,
Thank you very much for the account.

My PH in 05, Jim Mackie, was the warden who investigated the incident. He stated that Allen drew the cow elephant off the client and up a dry wash. The cow caught him as he attempted to climb the side of the wash. His rifle was unfired. Jim said he thought Allen simply, and tragically, miscalculated how close the cow was.

My friend who hunted with Allen said that Allen loved elephants and would of tried NOT to kill a cow if at all possible.

troy

Thank you Troy.

I was in the area in '89 when we hunted for a day or two at Kavija before we flew into Chete. We had to drive through part of his property with the rhinos .. (Never saw one) I was told a few weeks later that he sent everyone in one direction and he ran in the other .. (Obviously as spoken to draw off the cow) I was told that he ran by two cows that were in a bush and they or one of them nailed him .. Interesting to hear the correct story after all these years.

Troy's explanation makes a helluva' lot more sense than either of the hearsay explanations that I posted.

Thanks to all that responded and maybe more will chime in.

I never met Allen (or Alan) but I have heard wonderful stories about him and he mentored some of Africa's great PH's. Must have been one Helluva Man! The world and esp. Africa misses and needs these type of individuals to be her caretaker.

Now...just to remember how fast things change...when Allen was hunting in Chewore it was just Chewore...not North & South. That would have been a great place to have a 30 day safari!!!

And...in the early '80s...when Allen was still hunting...Black Rhino still roamed there. Nigel talks about running from them there when he was a youngster.

My how things have changed! I am not sure Allen is smiling when he looks down from heaven on his beloved Zambezi Valley and all of Zimbabwe for that matter.

Rest in Peace my friend!

quote:

Originally posted by DTala:
My PH in 05, Jim Mackie, was the warden who investigated the incident. He stated that Allen drew the cow elephant off the client and up a dry wash. The cow caught him as he attempted to climb the side of the wash. His rifle was unfired. Jim said he thought Allen simply, and tragically, miscalculated how close the cow was.

My friend who hunted with Allen said that Allen loved elephants and would of tried NOT to kill a cow if at all possible.

troy

That is interesting.

I have heard this story repeated off & on over the years and the focus has always been on the unfired rifle and the implication/blame being a failure of the Brno safety.

It's good to finally hear the truth but it remains a great tradgedy.

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It's good to finally hear the truth but it remains a great tradgedy.

Well...the truth is...that we will never know the actual happening...cause no one saw it. It is all speculation.

In his book, Dangerous Game Rifles (1st ed.) Weiland describes the story and has a photo purporting to be of Lowe's son-in-law holding the rifle on a buff hunt. I assume if there were any mechanical difficulties they had been ironed out.

quote:

In his book, Dangerous Game Rifles (1st ed.) Weiland describes the story and has a photo purporting to be of Lowe's son-in-law holding the rifle on a buff hunt. I assume if there were any mechanical difficulties they had been ironed out.

Would that be Terry Weiland???

The son-in-law still has the gun to this day!

yes, Wieland, Dangerous Game Rifles, p.109 top photo

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Originally posted by jsl3170:
yes, Wieland, Dangerous Game Rifles, p.109 top photo

Ordered a copy today. Hard to find the first edition.

I find stories like Allen's fascinating!

http://books.google.com/books?...#v=onepage&q&f=false




.416 Rigby?

Hunts,
the above link won't show p. 109 though.

Since Chifuti has Chewore South where Alan was killed and the plaque hangs on the Baobab in his memory...How many folks would like to see a Tracks Across Africa show in his memory.

Craig who knew Alan could get a group of PH's closely associated with Alan and his family together around the Memorial and do a short remembrance segment. Alan was a great conservationist and a tribute to his profession.

They could get Eleanor his wife. Duff Gifford (whom I believe is Alan's son-in-law), Nigel Theisen who was an Alan Lowe Appy back in the day etc.etc. Duff I believe still has that Brno action rifle Alan was carrying.

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Originally posted by ozhunter:
I first became excited about Ele hunting from a story written by an Aus hunter that went on a safari with Allen and a Manton 450/400.

Was that an Allison story??

This is a great thread by the way... fitting to honour such people. The Tracks idea sounds good too....sure wish we got that TV show here....

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This is a great thread by the way... fitting to honour such people. The Tracks idea sounds good too....sure wish we got that TV show here....

Matt,

Even though I did not know him personally...I have yet to find a man to say anything but the kindest words about him. A memorial show would be nothing but a tribute to all involved and his wife Eleanor would be truly honored.

quote:

Originally posted by ozhunter:
I first became excited about Ele hunting from a story written by an Aus hunter that went on a safari with Allen and a Manton 450/400.

That article sparked my interest in double rifles.

African hunting was already a fever.

quote:

The Tracks idea sounds good too....sure wish we got that TV show here....

Or better yet a DVD about Alan and about the dangers of Dangerous Game and then the proceeds could go to Eleanor Lowe (his widow) to help her out. She is still struggling along on the ranch near Kwe-Kwe.