Pelton Cemetery
21755 Driver
J.T. Tarn
Royal Field Artillery
13th August 1917.
William Kirby has submitted the following:-
John Thomas was born in 1882 at Crook the son of Thomas and Margaret Tarn.
In 1906 he married at Annfield Plain Susannah Briscoe. In 1911 the family are living at 5a Lambton Street, Chester-le-Street, John Thomas is a Coal Miner hewer. Living with them is their niece Edith Ann Briscoe born in 1900. They had been married and had three children of whom two had died. Norman Cecil was less than 6 months old. He died in 1912.
Two other children were born John George born 14th November 1912 and Doris born 8th May 1915.
John Thomas enlisted 6th September 1914. He was living at 8 Catherine Square, Fatfield. He was 33 years 4 months old, 5 feet 3 and a half inches tall. He had a dark complexion, blue eyes and brown hair.
After being in France for a month and being gassed, John Thomas, on 21st August 1915 was discharged as no longer physically fit for war service. He had been diagnosed with Organic Heart Disease.
In 1916 he was living at 12 Michael Villas, Pelton Lane Ends.
Chester-le-Chronicle 24/08/1917 reports:-
Pelton Military Funeral.
A military funeral took place at Pelton Cemetery on Thursday. The deceased was Thomas Tarn, late of the R.G.A. who was gassed and discharged from the army about two years ago. he had resumed work but had recently suffered from pneumonia and rheumatism. His death was reported to the Coroner but it was not considered necessary to hold an inquest. There was a firing party from Newcastle and the Pelton Fell Band was in attendance, together with a large number of friends and the general public. The service was conducted by the Revs. Firman and Scudamore.
John Thomas Tarn is remembered at Pelton on P26.01
