Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
James Arnott was born 1899 at Wardley Colliery, County Durham, the youngest of 4 sons as well as 4 daughters born to John Arnott Snr. native of Newcastle-upon-Tyne born 1859 and Catherine McManus born 1861 in Ireland whom he married in the district of Gateshead in 1878. Living at 4, Sunderland Street, Heworth in 1891 his father was working as a coal miner and was joined by his son John Jnr. (17) by 1901. James (12), Thomas (13) and Mary Lizzie (9) where the only children still living with their parents in 1911 at 9, Sunderland Terrace, Wardley Colliery, supported by their father who still worked at the colliery as a hewer.
On the outbreak of war James was only 15 years old, too young to enlist but he did so when he turned 18 years at Newcastle-upon-Tyne and was assigned as Private 54603 West Yorkshire Regiment but transferred as Private 47467 Lancashire Fusiliers 2/8th Battalion which had been formed for home service but due to heavy losses was in the latter part of the conflict mobilised and sent to the Western Front.
Private Arnott 47467 Lancashire Fusiliers could not have joined the regiment overseas until 1918 and was presumed to have been killed in action March 21st 1918 when the battalion was reduced to cadre strength as part of the Allied Fifth Army driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields. His sacrifice is recorded as one of over 14,000 names inscribed on the Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France, commemorating servicemen of the United Kingdom and South Africa who died in the sector of the Somme from March 21st to August 7th 1918 and who have no known grave. He was 19 years old and single.
His mother Catherine received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
James Arnott is remembered at Heworth on H92.03 and at Felling on F32.06 and F32.24
