Lieutenant General Sir Arthur A B Dowler KCB KBE DL 1946 - 1954

Born in New York on 16th July 1895, Arthur Dowler came to England at the age of ten and was educated at Tonbridge School. He then went to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, where he completed the normal course just prior to the outbreak of the First World War. Commissioned into The East Surrey Regiment on 8th August 1914, he joined the 1st Battalion on the Aisne.

Later, serving with the 2nd Battalion, he was severely wounded at the Battle of Loos in 1915. He was a long time in hospital and was then appointed to the AG’s staff at the War Office. He was awarded the French Croix de Guerre and Mentioned in Despatches. Between 1921 and 1931 he served at Aldershot, Ireland and India, before attending the Staff College at Camberley. After further service in India, Shorncliffe and Colchester, he was appointed an Instructor at the Staff College. In August 1939 he succeeded to the command of the 1st Battalion at Colchester but on the first day of the war he gave up command on being posted to the 49th Division.

During 1942 and 1943 he was concerned with preparations for the reception of the US Army and planning for the eventual assault on the Continent. In the Birthday Honours of 1943 he was awarded the CB. After service with Land Forces Middle East he was transferred to BAOR to become Chief- of-Staff to Field Marshal The Viscount Montgomery in 1945 and left that appointment on becoming Director of Infantry at the War Office.

His last appointment was GOC East Africa Command. He retired in 1951. He was made a KBE in the Birthday Honours of 1946 and elevation to KCB in 1951. He had been promoted Lieutenant General in 1944 with seniority back-dated to 14th June 1943. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey on the 23rd May 1958.