Rupert Price Hallowes was born on 5th May 1881 at Checkley House, Station Road, Redhill, Surrey, the youngest son of Doctor Frederic Blackburn Hallowes FRCS and Mary Ann Taylor, daughter of the Reverend W. Hutchinson, the rector of Checkly, Staffordshire. Hallowes was educated at Conyngham House School, Ramsgate, and at Haileybury College. He was a keen shot and took part in the Ashburton Shield at Bisley in 1896 and 1897, representing his College. Before the war he was an Instructor for the Boy Scouts at St Peter’s, Port Talbot Troop, was Assistant Secretary for the Boy Scouts Association for many years and later worked for Harold Flower of Gracechurch Street in the City of London.
In 1900 Hallowes joined the 20th Middlesex (Artists) Volunteer Rifle Corps. He was commissioned in this unit, re-named the 28th (County of London) Battalion The London Regiment (Artists Rifles) in 1908. He received his commission on 26th October 1909.
As well as a Buffalo, he was a Freemason, and Assistant Secretary of the St Peter’s Troop of the Boy Scouts Association in Port Talbot, he is one of 32 Scouting related persons to win the Victoria Cross. Rupert lived with his brother William and his family, and his two sisters at Craigafon in the Dan-y-Ffynnon area of the town. He was a Sidesman (A sidesperson, archaically known as a sidesman or usher, in the Anglican Church is responsible for greeting members of the congregation, overseeing seating arrangements in church, and for taking the collection), and Secretary of the Parish’s Men’s Society.
He re-joined the Artists Rifles in August 1914 and, by the end of September, had been promoted in quick succession Corporal, Lance Sergeant and Sergeant. Hallowes arrived in France on 29th December 1914, and in February 1915 he reverted to the rank of private at his own request. This was probably so that he could be commissioned, as the Army was then selecting suitable candidates from the Artists Rifles to replace officer losses in other units.
medal for actions at Sanctuary Wood in the Ypres Salient, Hooge, Belgium, between 25th- 30th September 1915. His citation from The London Gazette (issue 29371 of 16 November 1915) reads: “For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty during the fighting at Hooge between 25th September and 1st October, 1915.
Not much is known of Bro. Rupert Price Hallowes as a Buffalo but he is mentioned in old journals and he had a lodge named after him in the Port Talbot Province.
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