Lieutenant Arthur Loveband

Regiment: 2nd Batt. Royal Dublin Fusiliers
Date published: 14/05/1915
Killed in action: No
Information: Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Loveband, 2nd Batt. Royal Dublin Fusiliers, joined the 1st Battalion at the Curragh in 1889, and shortly afterwards transferred to the 2nd Battalion in India. There he quickly established a reputation as a first-class, all-round sportsman. He entered into all the sports of the country, including ibex-shooting, massur-fishing and racing. His many successes in the last named earned for him a place amongst the best soldier riders in India at the time. Later as a Captain—in which capacity he was serving at the Regimental Depot at Naas—he was appointed Adjutant of the 3rd Battalion, which position he held for six years. Here again he became one of the most prominent men to hounds among a particularly hard-riding field. The late Mr. Robert Rynd told the writer he always considered ‘The Littleman,’ as his friends always call him, the third best man to hounds he had ever known. At Punchestown he also had successes, while his splendid horsemanship and marvellous eye for country enabled him to establish an extraordinary record at point-to-point riding. At the outbreak of the war he was commanding the Depot at Naas, and was almost immediately given command of the 6th Service Battalion. Towards the end of October, when the command of the 2nd Battalion at the front became vacant, he was appointed to fill the vacancy. Arriving at the front early in November he evidently did not take long to obtain the recognition of the authorities, where sterling merit and efficiency are the sole qualifications for reward. He also served in the South African War.