Arthur Lovell served from 1931 to 1938 with the 11th Hussars in Palestine. Following his 6 years of service he was transferred to the Army Reserves in 1938.
He was recalled at the outbreak of war in Sept 1939 and was assigned to the 4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters). He returned to the Middle East with the 4th CLY in September 1941 and became part of the 7th Armoured Division (The Desert Rats).
The 4 CLY were involved in almost continuous fighting from their arrival until the end of the North Africa Campaign. The regiment particularly distinguished themselves in the Second Battle of El Alamein (23 October to 11 November 1942) and took part in the subsequent advance into Tunisia (17 November 1942 to 13 May 1943). This three month campaign was against the more experienced German Afrika Korps led by Gen. Erwin Rommel (The Desert Fox). By this time he had been promoted to Sergeant and was a tank commander.
During action on April 6th, 1943, Arthur was wounded. After several weeks in hospital he rejoined the regiment. The 4th County of London Yeomanry did not take part in the invasion of Sicily but landed in Italy in September 1943. They participated in the Capture of Naples and the crossing of the Volturno. In December 1943, the regiment left Italy for the United Kingdom where it prepared for the upcoming invasion of North West Europe.
The 7th Armoured Division, arrived in Normandy towards the end of D-Day 6th of June, 1944. Its first combat was a day later with 22nd Armoured Brigade supporting the 50th Division at Tilly-sur-Seulles. Combat continued in the area against the German Panzer Lehr Division the next day. Their next operation was Perch which would lead to the ill-fated clash with the Panzer Lehr and 101. Schwere SS-Panzerabteilung at Villers-Bocage. On June 13, the British launched Operation Perch, an attempt to encircle the Panzer-Lehr-Division. The Desert Rats advanced on Villers-Bocage. A company of the Rifle Brigade and a squadron of Cromwell tanks belonging to the Sharpshooters was sent on ahead to Hill 213, a mile east of the town. This force was ambushed by a detachment of Tiger tanks from 2nd Kompanie, 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion and a single Tiger, commanded by SS-Obersturmfuhrer Michael Wittman, destroyed the six tanks of CLY's Regimental Headquarters Troop before his own Tiger was destroyed.
The small force of the Rifle Brigade and Sharpshooters, now trapped on Hill 213, was eventually overrun.
Arthur was taken prisoner and spent the rest of the war as a POW finally at Stalag 357 at Fallingsbostel. The camp was liberated on April 16th 1945 by the 11th Hussars, Arthur's original regiment.
