Colin McMillan has provided the following:
45340 Private Ernest Arnott was born in Pegswood in or about 1897. He was the fourth child of Robert Arnott, a coal miner hewer, and Jane Arnott.
In 1901 Ernest was four and his siblings were 17 year old George Arnott, a tailor, 14 year old Robert J Arnott a shoemaker and 11 year old Esther Arnott. The family lived at 2 Portland Place, Pegswood at the time.
Ten years later, at the time of the 1911 census, several changes had taken place: Robert Arnott senior was no longer with the family. Jane, now 50, was the head of the household but was described as married rather than widowed; all four children were still living at home. Esther was now employed as a draper and Ernest was an errand-boy. They were living at 9 Edward Street, Morpeth.
Ernest Arnott enlisted at Newcastle on 27th December 1916 and was given the service number 45340. He embarked from Folkestone on 25th March 1917 and disembarked at France the following day. He was posted to the 6th Yorkshire Regiment at Etaples then later, on 15th April 1917, was posted to the 2nd Battalion of the same regiment. It seems he suffered gunshot wounds to the face and forehead in March 1918 and died later that year on 21st December. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals.
Ernest Arnott is remembered in Morpeth on M47.01, M17.02, M17.09 and M17.29
