#14826, Arthur George COKE KG

Arthur Coke, born in 1882, was originally destined for the Royal Navy but he left the service around 1905 because of his severe stammer.

In 1914, on the outbreak of the 1st World War, he joined the Royal Horse Guards and fought in the trenches in Flanders in the first battle

of Ypres. He wrote, “What I am really very anxious to do is to get into Commander Samson’s Armoured Cars... They get a lot of exciting fighting, which is better than sitting in these infernal trenches”. He transferred to the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve Armoured Cars in December 1914 and went with them to Gallipoli. Manning machine guns on the S.S. River Clyde, he helped to cover the landing of troops at Sedd el Bahr on 25th April 1915. He was killed in action seven days later.

He left a widow, Hermione, and their children, Anthony and Diana. Arthur was the younger brother of the 4th Earl and so was not in the direct line of succession at Holkham. However, many years after his death his son became the 6th Earl and his grandson is the 7th and present Earl of Leicester.

(The Honourable) Arthur George Coke was born on 6 April 1882 in Paddington, London, the second son of Thomas William, 3rd Earl of Leicester and the Hon. Alice Emily (nee White) Coke (daughter of Luke, 2nd Lord Annaly), Arthur was baptised on 28 May 1882 at Chetwode, Buckinghamshire. He was one of five children.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at 13 Cadogan Square, Chelsea where they had a household with 12 servants, including butler, valet, footman, lady's maid, nurse, housemaids, nurserymaids, cook, kitchenmaid and scullerymaid. His father's occupation was given as Lt Colonel Infantry.

He was educated at HMS Britannia (a training ship for the preliminary education of naval officers from 1859 to 1905) and joined the Navy in 1897, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant after six years' service.

Arthur married Lady Phyllis Hermione Drury on 10 May 1906 in London. They had two children, Lady Diana Merial in 1907 and Anthony Louis Lovel, 6th Earl of Leicester in 1909. On the 1911 Census the family were living at Flaunden House, Chesham, Bucks and Arthur's occupation was given as Stock Broker. They had three servants.

His parents lived at 67 Grosvenor Street, Mayfair and Knightsbridge, London on the 1911 Census. His father lived at Holkham Hall, Norfolk on the 1939 Register.
At the time of his death Arthur lived in Flaunden, Herts. (N.B. Flaunden is on the border of Herts and Bucks)

Wartime Service
On the outbreak of war he obtained a commission of 2nd Lieutenant in the 2nd County of London Yeomanry (Westminster Dragoons) on 5 September 1914 but was quickly transferred to the Royal Horse Guards and served with them in Flanders and during the First Battle of Ypres, until he was transferred as Lieutenant to the Armoured Cars Division, R.N.A.S. in January 1915. (J53426).
Armoured cars were landed at Cape Helles in May 1915 but were found to be difficult to operate due to nature of terrain. The machine guns were often dismounted from the vehicles as assistance to the infantry. Arthur was killed in action at Sedel Bahr, Gallipoli on 21 May 1915, aged 33.  He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Turkey.

Additional Information
Probate of his estate was obtained in London on 10 September by the Hon. Wenman Coke, Colonel HM Army, with effects of £1496 9s 8d. Brother Thomas William served as an Officer with Scots Guards as Viscount Coke, went to France 9 Nov 1914, survived to become 4th Earl of Leicester in 1941. Younger brother Hon. Roger Coke served in Royal Navy as an Officer from prior to the Great War until retiring as Commander on 28 Dec 1926.