Dowse was born at
Glenageary,
County Dublin, where his father was rector of St Paul's Church. In 1894 the family moved to
Monkstown where Dowse later played
rugby for
Monkstown Football Club. He was educated at
Trent College, Derbyshire, and
Trinity College Dublin. In 1914 Dowse played rugby for
Ireland against France, Scotland and Wales. However, his rugby career was cut short by the outbreak of the
First World War and he was commissioned as a
lieutenant in the
Royal Army Medical Corps in August 1914. He served on the
Western Front and in India, remained in the army after the war and served during the
Second World War in France, North Africa, Italy and Egypt. He ended the war with the rank of acting
major general (made substantive in November 1945). After the war he was Commandant and Director of Studies at the
Royal Army Medical College from 1948 to 1949. He then retired and was
colonel commandant of the RAMC (a ceremonial position) from 1950 to 1956. Dowse was appointed a
Commander of the Order of St John in 1947. The Greek government awarded him the
Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Phoenix in 1948. ==Notes==