Arthur Towers King

Lieutenant Arthur King, enlisted on 1st December 1914 into the Royal Navy where he served at HMS Pembroke until 1st April 1915 , he then served on HMS President, he saw active service from 1st April 1915 until 16th September 1915 when he was discharged to shore on 19th September 1915. His Naval record further states he served with the Armoured Car Division in France from 3rd June 1915 He was serving with the 1/1st Lincolnshire Yeomanry, when he was killed in action on 17th November 1917 in Palestine. He is buried in Ramleh War Cemetery. (grave ref B.63)

The following information from the Nottingham Archives Reference DD/865/67 was researched by Jim Grundy and published on his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 Captain George Edward James Antoine Robinson, M.C., Royal Army Medical Corps, attached 1/1st (Nottinghamshire) Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, described some of his experiences of the war in Egypt and Palestine in a letter to Sir John Turney, who was compiling information about former members of Nottingham rowing clubs.“NOTTS. R. H. A.“AUSTRALIAN MOUNTED DIV.“In the field.“Dear Sir John Turney.“Many thanks for the letter case and your kind words on the enclosed card. The pipe which you sent me at Christmas 1914 has accompanied me through 2 campaigns (W.F.F. & E.E.F.) as well as sharing in the Canal Defence Movements, and like the N.R.G. is now pretty 'strong' but a favourite comforter.“Naturally we share with your pride in our Club; apart from its individual members it will interest you to know something of the Notts units, in which many of us are serving. Having assisted in the winding up of the Senussi, our Notts Battery trekked from the Extreme Western frontier, on the Borders of Tripoli, to the Extreme Eastern defences – then near Romani, about 15 miles east of the Canal.“In due course the enemy was pushed out of the Sinai Desert, and we found ourselves first at EL ARISH, and finally on the old frontier at RAFA where in March 1917 some 20,000 Mounted men, led by Sir Philip Chetwode, held the 'Desert Column', 1st RAFA SPRING MEETING' – about 12 Races, both Steeple and Flat.“It was a high success – held over green rolling downs reminding us of Salisbury Plain – and very refreshing to our eyes after Sinai.“Two days later we 'pushed off' for the first attack on GAZA (March 26). In this action the Battery operating with Brig. Gen. ROYSTON, 3rd A. L. H. Brigade, received considerable praise and various 'mentions'. While the 53rd Div. Infantry took the commanding heigh and defences of ALL MUNTAR; the N.Z. Mounted Rifle burst into the opposite side of the town and captured 900 prisoners and 2 guns. The Turkish Garrison surrendered in hundreds, and the Australian Gunners were busy removing their 'Breech Blocks' when our troops got the order 'To Retire'.“This extraordinary order has never been explained, and is certainly not cleared up by the published despatches.“Meantime our Division has been switched off to Repel 3,000 Cavalry and 11,000 Infantry advancing from Beersheba, and Huj respectively.“Warned by our 'Planes' we galloped to the necessary Ridges, and had the time of our lives. From the O. P. I could see our shrapnel and H. E. playing the 'Reaper'. We continued firing until darkness fell and our last 'Salvo' fired in absolute darkness, at enemy gun flashes, was a glorious 'fluke' as we learned later – having scored a 'direct hit' on an enemy Big Gun and Tractor.“The day was 'ours' all over the field but the staff work was 'damnable' there was no cohesion. The G.O.C. was never informed of the entrance of the Mounted Rifles into the town until they had been withdrawn.“In April came the second attack on GAZA. [beginning on 17th April 1917] This Battle lasted 6 days, cost us 12,000 casualties, killed a lot of the enemy and necessitated the Dispatch of General Allenby. Of this Battle I dare not speak, but may say that with light and heavy Artillery, Air Bombs, Gas and the usual accessories it satisfied my curiosity. I saw our chief airman shot down in front of our guns and 2 others rapidly followed him – crashed.“For nearly 2 hours an enemy plane hovered over us, bombing and directing artillery; but while we escaped almost scot free, another R.H.A. Battery in [the] rear of us caught the 'overs' and had heavy losses.“From April to October, apart from general re-organizing the most important move was in the air, and the very definite air supremacy of the Germans passed to us.“About August the other 2 Notts units arrived, from Salonika to join us, viz. – North Notts Yeo., (Sherwood Rangers) and South Notts Hussars.“About the same time or a little earlier, Arthur King (since killed) came along with the Lincoln Yeo., (22nd Mounted Brigade) and called on me.“All 3 Notts Units took part in the Big Cavalry Movement which resulted in the capture of Beersheba [31st October 1917], and set going the operations which resulted in rolling up the enemy on his GAZA – Beersheba line, captured 15,000 prisoners, 187 guns and 1,600 square miles of territory in 3 weeks, and carried us [to] the very gates of Jerusalem. On the final (3rd) night trek to Beersheba we covered 40 miles, reached out rendezvous at dawn, and our attack on the E. & N.E. synchronised with the Infantry attack from the S. & S.W. “It is said to have been the biggest Cavalry operation in Military History – 3 full Divisions of Cavalry with one spare Brigade and a Camel Corps (equal in strength to a division) operating R.H.A. batteries being of course attached to every Brigade.“The Notts Battery with 'A' Battery H.A.C. had the honour of supporting 4th Brigade Australian Light Horse in the charge which captured Beersheba.“Galloping into the open we unlimbered, – opened fire, while the 3 Regiments of the Brigade formed up in Rear of us, and then in 3 lines of 'open order' with rifles slung and Bayonets in hand as swords – away they went over 1½ miles of open plain, studded with cavalry pits, trenches, and redoubts and defended by Krupp 77s, 10 pounders, Machine guns, and rifles. We kept moving too, and finally were the first guns into the town...“Next day the Notts Yeo. went out on a job and the South Notts captured 2 guns. Capt. Fred Piggin gaining the M.C. Since then all 3 Notts units have been through the hard trekking and heavy fighting which has given us Jerusalem and Notts need not be ashamed of us.“All good wishes.“(signed) G. A. Robinson.”