Private 16565 Arthur Lloyd

Killed in Action Persian Gulf on Thursday, 6th April 1916, age 22 or 23.
Buried in Grave XXXI. J. 3. at Amara War Cemetery, Iraq.

1st (Provisional) Bn., Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry. 28th Indian Brigade of 7th (Meerut) Division.
Formerly 16565 2nd Bn., Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry.

Son of Charles and Mary Ann Lloyd, of 53 Horseley Road, Tipton.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Birmingham, Resident: Tipton, Staffs.

First landed France & Flanders, 26th May 1915.
Medal entitlement: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Commemorated on the Tipton Library Memorial.
Commemorated here because he appears on a Tipton memorial.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/629247/

Genealogical Data

1901 Census
63 New Road, Toll End, Tipton, Staffs.
Charles T. Lloyd (32, General Labourer, born Tipton), his wife Mary A. (31, born Tipton), and their 3 children: Annie (10, born Tipton), Arthur (8, born Tipton), and John W. (6, born Tipton).

1911 Census
53 Horseley Road, Tipton, Staffs.
Charles Lloyd (42, Labourer on Canal, born Tipton), his wife Mary Ann (41, born Tipton), and 4 of their 5 surviving children of 6: Arthur (18, Lead Coating Worker, born Tipton), William (16, Rivet Heater, born Tipton), Charles (9, School, born Tipton), and Albert (7, School, born Tipton).

Personal Data

Arthur landed in France on 26th May 1915 and joined the 2nd Battalion, Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (OBLI). We know that he was with the 1st Battalion OBLI at the time of his death, so at some stage he was transferred which often happened on recovery from wounds or sickness. It is likely that Arthur joined the 2nd Battalion from England rather than directly from France.

After Arthur's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £2/0/0d (2 pounds exactly); this was paid to his mother and sole legatee, Mary Ann, in December 1916. His War Gratuity was £5/10/0d (5 pounds and 10 shillings), this was also paid to his mother in October 1919. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that Arthur had enlisted in approximately December 1914.

Arthur's mother, Mrs Mary Ann Lloyd, applied for a Dependant's Pension; this was not given but was she awarded a gratuity (amount unknown) on 27th February 1917.

Action resulting in his death

The 1st Battalion, Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (1/OBLI), landed in Basra, Mesopotamia, in December 1914 as part of 17th Infantry Brigade, 6th (Poona) Division, of the Indian Expeditionary Force “D”.

During 1915, 1/OBLI moved “up country” along the River Tigris, until a reverse at the Battle of Ctesiphon on 22 November 1915 forced a retreat back to Kut-al-Amara. Here the Turks were unable to capture the city and so besieged the occupants until starvation forced their surrender after 5 months, on 29th April 1916.

With the original 1/OBLI besieged at Kut, a separate ‘Kut Relief Force’ was formed in December 1915 from a nucleus of 100 men of 1/OBLI who had escaped being besieged. This “Provisional Battalion” of the OBLI was reinforced with a further 300 men arriving from England on 6th January 1916. It is likely that Arthur Lloyd was one of the 300 reinforcements.

The “Provisional Battalion” was attached to the 28th Infantry Brigade of the 7th (Meerut) Indian Division. This was one of a number of Divisions who, over the next 4 months, attempted to relieve the siege of Kut. By stages, and fighting most of the way, the 7th (Poona) Division reached Sannaiyat, 12 miles east of Kut, on 5th April 1916.

On 5th April, 13th Division had successfully attacked and forced the Turks to retreat towards Sanniayat. The 7th (Poona) Division took over, and advanced intending to assault at dawn on April 6th. A series of misfortunes now commenced.

The country over which the Division advanced was found to be so cut up by deep trenches running in all directions that progress was most difficult, and at dawn the assaulting troops were still 2,300 yards from the enemy's position. Knowing that the Turks were prepared to meet the attack, they advanced across flat and open country, exposed to heavy artillery and machine-gun fire, until within 700 yards of the position. Here they were checked, and after severe losses, were forced to retire until digging themselves in 1,000 yards from the enemy.

Gradually the “Provisional Battalion” was reinforced and after the capitulation of the main force at Kut, officially became the 1st Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry on 30th April 1916.

The attack on Sannaiyat on 6th April was a desperate attempt to break through to the starving garrison in Kut, but was a total disaster. Of 13 officers and 266 Other Ranks of the “Provisional Battalion” who went into action on that day, 10 officers and 235 Other Ranks became casualties, with 5 Officers and 66 Other Ranks being killed.

Of the 71 men of the “Provisional Battalion” killed on that day, all but 4 had no known grave and are commemorated on the Basra Memorial. The 4, which included Arthur Lloyd, were buried at Amara where the majority of burials had been brought in from various battlefields after the war. In 1933 it was found that the salts in the soil were causing the headstones to deteriorate and the headstones were removed. The men were commemorated by the erection of a screen wall erected containing their names. Cemeteries in Iraq are, understandably, not currently being maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Assistance from Stephen Berridge and his fine website www.lightbobs.com is gratefully acknowledged.

Newspaper Cuttings

None.