STORY
The remains of Private John Tame, a soldier from Windsor who perished during World War I, were laid to rest with full military honours at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s New Irish Farm Cemetery near Ypres, Belgium. The burial, organised by the Ministry of Defence’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the War Detectives, took place nearly 108 years after his death.
Private Tame served with the 2nd Battalion The Royal Berkshire Regiment. His remains were discovered in May 2018 during roadworks in Zonnebeke, near Ypres. Artefacts found alongside him, including a cap badge and shoulder title of his regiment, as well as evidence of a previous shoulder wound, led to DNA testing. The identification was confirmed with the assistance of his great-nephew, Keith Brooks, who provided a DNA sample.
“John and his brothers Alfred and William have been remembered by the family from just photographs and vague memories from those who have now long passed,” said Mr. Brooks. “Now, after finding John’s remains, he is more than just a distant photograph. This has made him more real along with his story for future generations.”
Private Tame was the third-eldest of seven children. His elder brothers, Lance Corporal Alfred Tame and Corporal William George Tame, also served with the 2nd Battalion The Royal Berkshire Regiment. Both were killed on 9 May 1915 during the Battle of Aubers Ridge and are commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial, having no known graves