Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of George Appelbee Royce, a Manufacturer, born 1849 in Nottingham, and his wife Catherine Sewell, born 1866 in Leicester. David Costa, a Warehouseman was born in 1893 in Leicester. At the time of the 1911 Census the family were residing at 66, New Walk, Leicester. The War Diary for today records. At 11.12am orders were received that the attack would shortly be renewed on both banks. In the meantime enemy’s line was subjected to bombardment from 28th Bty ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY. Orders were received to renew the attack at 2.00pm, the Battn moving forward as soon as 53rd SIKHS were seen to leave their trenches. The 92nd PUNJABIS had now been attached to the Bde to support the attack on the left of the Battn. A and B Coy’s advanced in short sharp rushes, supported by C Coy, D Coy being kept close up in reserve under cover. The advance progressed in spite of very strong opposition and D Coy was thrown in, the whole Battn finally carrying out the assault successfully over about 300 yards. Two of the Battn machine guns pushed along the nullah X Y towards X, greatly assisted the advance in first enfilading Turkish trench P and later distributing their fire along trench Q. The Battn was splendidly supported throughout by one section of the 28th Bty ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY, the F.O.O. advancing with his telephone immediately in rear of the Battn. The enemy’s trenches were occupied and quickly put in a state of defence, while, from both ends of these trenches a line of entrenchments was extended for some considerable distance, the left flank being well turned back. About 80 prisoners were taken by the Battn, and a large quantity of rifles, ammunition, equipment etc. Many dead and wounded Turks were found in the trenches. The Battn buried 62 enemy dead on its section of trenches. Enemy sniped to some extent during the night from our left flank. The following casualties among officers occurred during this days operations. Officers killed Lt DOWDING and Lt ROYCE. Wounded Capt SUTHERLAND, 2nd Lt BILLINGS, 2nd Lt BELLE and 2nd Lt BUCKINGHAM. Other ranks killed and wounded on operations of the 6th and 7th January totalled 303.