Alexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) likeness

Alexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) cap badgePrivate Alexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot)

2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders
Service No: 8470

Alexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) grave

1670

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4

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52
Personal details

Family Information

Son of William and Margaret Johnston Arnott. Husband of Lily Hamilton Arnot (01/03/1891 - ). Father of William (07/07/1909 - ), James (26/01/1913 - ) and Elizabeth (21/03/1914 - ). Alexander's older brother Private James Arnott of the 11th (Service) Battalion Highland Light Infantry was Killed in Action on the 25/09/1915 at Loos. Alexander's Baptism Record - Name : Alexander Johnston Arnot. Gender : Male. Birth Date : 16 March 1883. Baptism Date : 23 April 1883. Baptism Place : Free Church, Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland. Father : William Arnot. Mother : Margaret Johnston. From the 1891 Census - Address - Bridgend, Bathgate - William Arnot aged 41, James Arnot aged 10, Alexander Arnot aged 8, Annie Arnot aged 5. Alexander's Pension was awarded to his wife Lily of 198b Bank St, Coatbridge on the 16/11/1915. Their 3 children are also listed.

Born / Resided

Railway Cottages, Bath St, Bathgate / 1b Hospital St, Coatbridge and Rawyards, Airdrie.

Died

Killed in Action on the 25/04/1915 near Wieltje at the Battle of St. Julien (part of the 2nd Battle of Ypres)

Enlisted

Hamilton 1914

Employed

Rosehall Colliery / Student at the School of Mining.

Age

32 / DOB - 16/03/1883

Buried / Remembered

Seaforth Cemetery, Cheddar Villa, Special Memorial B1, Langemark- Poelkapelle, Belgium.

Cemetery / Memorial Information

Cheddar Villa was the name given by the Army to a farm on the west side of the road from Wieltje to St. Julien. On 25 and 26 April 1915, during the Battle of St. Julien, severe fighting took place in this area and the Commonwealth dead were buried on the spot. The cemetery thus created was called Cheddar Villa Cemetery, but at the request of the Officer Commanding the 2nd Seaforth Highlanders its name was changed in 1922; more than 100 of those buried in the cemetery belonged to that battalion. The cemetery contains 148 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 21 of the burials are unidentified and 19 destroyed by shell fire are represented by special memorials. Row A, Grave 8, and Row B, Grave 1, are collective graves, and the headstones connected with them are placed against the cemetery walls. The names of 23 officers and men of the 2nd Seaforths who fell here, but are not known to be buried in the cemetery, are recorded on a tablet. These casualties are officially commemorated by name on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.

Additional Information

Alexander and the Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 23/08/1914 and were part of the 10th Brigade, 4th Division. Alexander was Killed in Action on the 25th April 1915 near Wieltje during the Battle for St. Julien. This was part of the Battles of Ypres (Second Ypres), 22nd April – 25th May 1915 : Often known as the Second Battle of Ypres, this began with surprise German attack using poison gas against French North African forces holding defences near Ypres. Both sides rushed reserves in and the battle developed into the second epic in that area. British Second Army withdraws to a shorter line near Ypres. SEE PHOTOS x 18 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY APRIL 1915 (see photo 7 for a list of Battalion casualties on the day Alexander fell). See Directory for his brother James' page. Alexander wrote 4 letters home to George Murdoch, the Principal of Coatbridge Technical College (see photos). Alexander's Grave Inscription reads "THEIR GLORY SHALL NOT BE BLOTTED OUT". Alexander is also remembered on the Coatbridge Technical College Roll of Honour and on the Airdrie War Memorial (see photos). Alexander is listed as ARNOTT on the Coatbridge and Airdrie Memorials and his Grave. Listed as ARNOT on other records (see Census and Baptism above and also photos). See photos for Alexander's Medal Index Card, Seaforth Cemetery, Alexander's Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, the Seaforth Highlanders Cap Badge, letters sent by Alexander to Principal Murdoch of the Technical School and later published in the Coatbridge Leader Newspaper x 11, Alexander's Pension Records x 2, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2 and his Headstone Report x 3. Alexander's Grave also states "BELIEVED TO BE BURIED IN THIS CEMETERY". Finally, Cheddar Villa was the name given by the Army to a farm on the west side of the road from Wieltje to St. Julien. On the 25th and 26th April 1915, during the Battle of St. Julien, severe fighting took place in this area and the Commonwealth dead were buried on the spot. The Cemetery thus created was called Cheddar Villa Cemetery, but at the request of the Officer Commanding the 2nd Seaforth Highlanders its name was changed in 1922; more than 100 of those buried in the Cemetery belonged to that Battalion. Finally see photos for the Coatbridge Leader Newspaper clipping and the 4th Division Order of Battle x 12 (the Division he was with when he died).

Photos
Alexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) Medal Index CardAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) remembered at homeAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) remembered at homeAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) remembered at homeAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) remembered at homeAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photoAlexander Johnston H Arnott (Arnot) additional photo

War Diaries

The battalion War Diary is available on the National Archives website.

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