Arthur Michael Norman Rice was born at Hardingstone, Northampton, the youngest son of Arthur Henry Rice and his wife, Beatrice Hettie Chew. He had two older brothers and an older sister.
His father became Managing Director of Rice and Co, Eagle Foundry, Northampton in 1927. From 1870 until 1940, the foundry produced a huge variety of iron castings, such as lamp posts, manhole covers, gulley grates, kitchen stoves and ranges, ornamental fireplaces, gates and railings, stable fittings, road signs, spiral staircases and skylight frames.
Michael was educated at Lancing College where he was in Fields House from September 1929 to April 1934. He was a Sergeant in the Officer Training Corps achieving Certificate A in 1933. He was appointed House Captain and a Prefect in 1933. He Matriculated in 1935 and graduated with a 2nd in History in 1938.
After going down, he worked at Dockland Settlement No. 2 at 197 East Ferry Road on the Isle of Dogs in 1938 and as Assistant Warden at Christ Church Settlement in Kennington in 1939. He was Warden of the “Roadmender” Boys Club in Northampton in 1939.
He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Northamptonshire Regiment from an Officer Training Unit on 15 February 1941. He served in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Sicily and in Normandy.
He was awarded the Military Cross for “gallant and distinguished services” in Normandy which was announced by the War Office on 31 August 1944.
He is buried in Banneville-la-Campagne War Cemetery Plot XVI. A. 13.
His eldest brother Sergeant William James Pickering Rice of 10 Squadron Royal Air Force was killed in action on 1 July 1941.