CAPTAIN R. R. GOW, O.B.E.

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 26, 30 July 1940, Page 9

CAPTAIN R. R. GOW, 0.8.E.

Captain R. R. Gow, 0.8.E., who died in the Wellington Public Hospital yesterday, at the age of 46 years, after a long and painful illness, joined the Railway Department at Wellington in July, 1909. He served in the capacities of 4 cadet and clerk at Wellington until September, 1915, when he joined the first N.Z.E.F. and proceeded to England. He later saw service in France with the Otago Regiment, ultimately rising to the rank of captain. He was severely wounded at Flers in September, 1916. Before returning to New Zealand in November, 1919, he was Adjutant at the Codford Military Camp in England, and for valuable services rendered while occupying this position he was appointed to be an Officer of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. In February, 1920, he received an appointment as Staff Officer to the Director of Railway Transport, Railway Engineers. In July, 1922, after the disbandment of the Railway Engineers, he again took up duty with the Railway Department and was attached to the District Traffic Manager's Office in Wellington where he occupied positions in the train-running and transport offices. In May, 1931, Mr. Gow was transferred to the Road Services branch of the Railway Department, and occupied successively the positions of senior clerk, superintendent's office, Lower Hutt, and bus manager at Dunedin, Rotorua, and Wellington until November, 1939, when he was obliged, owing to illness, to enter hospital. Mr. Gow, who is survived by a brother, Mr. W. J. Gow, late second assistant secretary Post and Telegraph Department, was a widower and leaves no family. In 1930 he married Miss Leithe Buist Mitchell, elder daughter of Mrs. James Mitchell, of Christchurch, who died at Lower Hutt in October, 1932. Mr. Gow was the son of the late Mr. Alexander Gow, who was also an officer of the Railway Department, and occupied the positions of stationmaster at Waiareka Junction, Cambridge, Featherston, and Ngahauranga.