Arthur Edward Francis Lovell was born in Kidderpore, Bengal, India, on 19 October 1901, the son of Francis Arthur Lovell and Ethel Lovell.

Arthur Lovell served and sailed in submarines through the ranks of Lieutenant to Commander. From 29 July 1923 he was in HMS K14 and became Navigating Officer from 20 August 1924. He then served in both HMS L14 and L16 as First Lieutenant until appointed to the Commanding Officer’s Qualifying Course (COQC) in January 1928, which he completed successfully. Then came command of HMS H32 in April 1929 followed by a second command in HMS THAMES on 8 April 1935.  He was promoted to Commander at the end of June 1936.

Promotion saw him return to the UK, arriving at Tilbury in London from Malta in the P & O Liner RMS  RAWALPINDI on 20 November 1936.  On 31 May 1937 he was appointed to HMS PRESIDENT ‘… for the Tactical Division’.

This was followed by an appointment to the Aircraft Carrier HMS GLORIOUS (Captain Guy D’Oyly Hughes) as The Commander (Second-in-Command) in July 1939.  This appointment was probably arranged by D’Oyly Hughes as Lovell had, previously, been his Number Two in the Submarine Flotilla in Malta.

Arthur Lovell of Embo Cottage, Enton Green, Godalming, Surrey was lost in HMS GLORIOUS on 8 June 1940.  He left a widow, Mary Lovell, and is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval War Memorial in Panel No 56 Column No. 1.