Arthur Charles Rothery Nutt was born on 19th March 1873 in Kensington, London. He became a career soldier, commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in March 1893 and joining the Royal Field Artillery. Arthur married Constance Helen Burness, the daughter of James Burness of Melton Lodge, in Lewisham, London, in 1896.

Soon after the wedding, Arthur was posted to India, where he was to serve on the North West Frontier between 1897 to 1898, taking his new bride with him. Their son, Walter, was born while on the posting. Their daughter, Margaret, was born in Melton in 1902. In 1911, Arthur was on another posting in India, while Helen and their daughter lived in Melton and their son, Walter, attended school in Roydon, near Diss.

At the start of the war, Arthur was in command of the 52nd Battery of the Royal Field Artillery and was posted to France on 20th August 1914. On arrival, the battery was sent to Le Cateau and, on 27th August, they were immediately in the thick of the battle, laying down fire to assist the British troops in the retreat from Mons. Reports from the time said:

“The Officer in command of 52 Battery, Major A C R Nutt, was still controlling the fire of his battery although shot through the throat; he was only able to whisper his fire orders.”

Throughout the Battle of Le Cateau, Arthur, although wounded, remained in control of his battery which was said to have fired over one thousand rounds during the battle. This was to be the end of Arthur’s time on the front line as, due to the speed of the German advance, the 52nd Battery was soon overrun and captured by the enemy. Arthur spent the rest of the war in Torgau Prisoner of War Camp, in Germany. He was released from the prison camp and repatriated to Britain on 23rd December 1918.

Arthur was “Mentioned in Dispatches” and awarded the Distinguished Service Order. He also received the 1914 Star and Clasp and the British War and Victory Medals.

Arthur Nutt died in Poole, Dorset, on 21st June 1946