Born on 17th August 1911 at Castle House, Baltimore, County Cork, Ireland, Major Arbuthnot died whilst on active service of cerebral malaria in Italy on 16th October 1943. He was 32.

He was the youngest son of Major John Bernard Arbuthnot (1875-1950) and Olive Arbuthnot (nee Blake, d.1953, m. Hong Kong, 1903).

He was the brother of David George Arbuthnot (1905-1985), Group Captain Terence John Arbuthnot CdeG (1906-1995), Commander Bernard Kieran Charles Arbuthnot DSC (1909-1975), Irene Joan Grace (1904-1997), and Patricia Evangeline Cockburn (1914-1989). Both sisters were authors.

He married Marjorie Helen Miller (1910-1991), the younger daughter of Dr Ralph Miller, on 28th April 1939. His grandfather, Sir Henry Arthur Blake, GCMG, was the Governor General of Hong Kong.

Known as Myles or "Teeny", he was a pupil at St Ronan’s from 1921 to 1924. He won a scholarship to Eton, upon which The Ronian reported: “Arbuthnot accomplished a first-rate performance in winning the Eton Scholarship. From what we hear, he seems to have been in the first five candidates, up to the last paper - Latin Verse - which he did not take. As he would have had another chance next year, his performance was of the highest merit.” The Ronian also remarked, “Arbuthnot, who was top of the School in work, is versatile and original in the best sense. They (Arbuthnot and his fellow alumni) may all be trusted to carry on our traditions.”

Myles returned to visit the school in 1931 and 1934. He is listed as serving in 1941.

The Arbuthnot family gave Saint Ronan’s a cup for swimming. All of the boys attended Saint Ronan’s before going on to Eton.

Myles attended Eton from 1924 to 1927 and was in G. W. Headlam house. Following his time there, he went up to Trinity College, Cambridge where he gained a Bachelor of Arts in 1935.

In August 1940 he was commissioned to the Royal Corps of Signals.

From 5th August through to 11th Nov 1943 he was in North Africa. From 23rd March through to 4th May 1944, he was posted to Sicily. He was sent to Italy on 24th August 1944.

He was awarded the MBE on 15th October 1943 for “gallant and distinguished service” in Italy.

On 6th April 1944, he was Mentioned in Dispatches for “gallant and distinguished service” in the Middle East.

He is buried at Bari War Cemetery, Italy, but is also commemorated on a family memorial at St Mary’s Collegiate Churchyard, Youghal County Cork, Ireland as well as at Trinity College, Cambridge.