John Low was the son of William Augustus John and Anne Cook Low, husband of Margery Russell Low, Third Offr., W.R.N.S., of Mayfield, Dundee.

On 29 April 1940 HMS UNITY set out from Blyth on her way to Norwegian waters. In poor visibility at night she collided with the Norwegian vessel SS Atle Jarl, which was en route from Scotland to the Tyne. UNITY sank within five minutes. Lieutenant J N A Low and Able Seaman H J Miller (q.v) were awarded posthumous EGMs for their gallantry in attempting to facilitate the escape of her crew by remaining in the control room as the submarine began to sink and the order to abandon ship had been called. Low and Miller assisted every member of the submarine to escape, except for themselves.

John Low is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Panel 37, Column 1.

Citation

The KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the following posthumous Awards for gallantry in one of H.M. Submarines:– The Medal of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, for Gallantry. The late Lieutenant John Niven Angus Low, Royal Navy, H.M. Submarines. The late Able Seaman Henry James Miller, P/J.55387, H.M. Submarines. 

(Supplement to The London Gazette of 16 August 1940. 16 August 1940, Numb. 34924, p. 5059)