Arthur Rice

Commander Arthur Rice, (26 August, 1883 – 4 June, 1914) served in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Rice was born in Eylhome (perhaps Elham?), Kent, the son of Admiral Ernest Rice, R.N..

Rice was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 November, 1902. He was awarded the Beaufort Testimonial for 1903.

From 1907 to 1909, Rice was torpedo officer in the armoured cruiser Good Hope.

From March 1909 to August 1910, Rice supervised the fitting-out of torpedo apparatus in River class destroyers. Toward the end of this span, he was faulted for a want of proper responsibility in an accident to the coxswain of one of Vernon's picket boats. He then spent a year as torpedo officer in the Indomitable and then two more in Lion.

Rice was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1913.

In February 1914, Rice was thanked for his ingenuity in inventing his eponymous Torpedo Automatic Sight.

Rice drowned following the crash of seaplane 128, in which he was a passenger, on 4 June, 1914. The craft departed from Calshot Air Station piloted by Lt. Thomas S. Creswell, R.M.L.I. along with three other planes at 3.55pm. When 128 was near Calshot Spit Lightship approximately ten minutes later, she was seen to drop like a rock from 5-600ft and to sink immediately except for its wingtips and floats. The other seaplanes a water craft responded and found Creswell, drowned. Initial eyewitness reports indicated the plane broke up just as it was about to impact the water. Rice's body, which may have fallen free before impact, was not found until 16 June, near Wootton Creek.

Rice's funeral was held at Haslar Naval Cemetery on 19 June. His father and other relatives attended, as did Vice-Admiral the Honourable Sir A. E. Bethell, commanding the Naval War College, as well as other service members.

See Also

• Service Records

Bibliography

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Arthur T. Muir	Captain of H.M. T.B. 53 21 Jul, 1903 – 10 Sep, 1903	Succeeded by Charles B. Land