The Life of a Naval Rating

Over 130 men lost their lives in the bombing raid on the Royal Naval Barracks Drill Hall on Monday 3 September 1917.

This is the story of just one of them….

Arthur Edward Voice

14.8.1895 - 3.9.1917

Arthur Edward Voice was born on 14 August 1895

at Lily Cottage, Horley, Surrey.

The youngest of the five children of Albert and

Jane Voice, he was the ‘baby’ of the family.

An accomplished artist, his painting of ‘The Mill Hole’ on the River Mole is displayed in Horley Public Library.

The painting was completed when Arthur waseleven years old.

Arthur joined the Horley Town ‘Prize’ Brass Band

alongside his father and his two brothers Albert

and William.

He later became organist and choirmaster at

Merstham Church in Surrey.

Arthur

A good swimmer, Arthur won many trophies and

medals in various competitions.

ArthurArthur

It was through his continued involvement with

Horley and District Swimming Club that he met

Miss Winifred Leppard who became his wife on

1 February 1916.

Their son Raymond was born on 3 September

1916.

Arthur had originally enlisted in the Navy on 7 February 1916 (although he was not recalled to H.M.S. Pembroke at Chatham until 5 December 1916) where he served as a Painter 2nd Class.

His messmates said he was ‘a real good comrade’.

His naval service record indicates that he was5 feet 5 inches in height, had a 37 inch chest,fair hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion; his conduct was always ‘very good’.

The record makes no note of any distinguishing features.

At around 11:00 p.m. on 3 September 1917, while

Arthur and hundreds of other naval ratings were

resting in their hammocks in the Drill Hall, four

German Gotha aeroplanes were following the

moonlit River Medway and heading for Chatham.

Their bombs hit the Drill Hall at 11:12 p.m.

Arthur was known to be sleeping where most of the ratings were killed.

His body was one of the last to be identified.

He died on his son Raymond’s first birthday.

Raymond

With thanks to the Voice family for sharing Arthur’s

story.