Thiepval Memorial
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Joseph James Tait was born 1895 at Durham City, County Durham, one of 8 children of whom only 7 survived he was the 5th born of 6 sons and a daughter. His father Joseph James Tait Snr born at Bourn Moor, Penshaw, County Durham in 1852 at the age of 19 was a footman, one of 8 servants, at the home of landowner Henry T. Marton and family of Biddick Hall, part of the estate of Lord Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham. He was married at Rock, Alnwick, Northumberland, March 7th 1882 to local girl, Mary Ann Bell born 1854. Living at 3 Cross Street, Crossgate, Durham in 1891 he supported his wife and 4 children working as a waiter, a few years after the birth of Joseph James Jnr he has an inn for his own account and they are living at 6, East Murton Street, Crossgate. By 1911 he and his family had moved to 6, Atherton Street East, all of his 7 children were still unmarried Andrew (26) was employed as a railway clerk by the N.E.R.C., Margaret (24) as a draper’s shop assistant, James (22) a compositor for a printing works, Hugh (20) an auctioneer’s clerk, Arthur (17) an apprentice cabinet maker and Joseph James (15) a butcher’s assistant, Walter (13) the youngest was still a scholar, boarding with them was William Charles Lovejoy (20) an organ builder’s metal hand.
On the outbreak of war Joseph James Tait enlisted at Houghton-le-Spring, December 7th 1915, assigned as Private 30071 to the Durham Light Infantry he joined his Regiment at their barracks at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, and was transferred to the 4th Battalion, January 21st 1916.
The 4th Battalion Durham Light Infantry which consisted initially of only 450 men stationed at Barnard Castle. Mobilised they were moved to the Tyne Defences at Wallsend and along the north bank of the River Tyne. Later they were transferred to Killingworth and Forest Hall and by September 1915 south of the river to Seaham Harbour where the Battalion remained until the end of the war although part of their role was also to train recruits for active service overseas. Whilst at Seaham he was hospitalised March 1916, cause unspecified.
His training completed, Private Tait was drafted overseas and departed August 5th 1916 as part of the British Expeditionary Force bound for France, where he was transferred to the 10th Battalion joining them in the field attached to the 43rd Brigade, 14th Division on the Somme. The Division as of July 15th 1916 had been involved in fighting to clear Delville Wood, which raged until September 3rd. After a short rest of two weeks they were transferred to the Flers-Courcelette sector, where, September 16th, the battalion attacked Gird trenches and caught by German machine gun fire were unable to advance, with the loss of some 400 men killed, wounded or missing.
Private Tait was one of those reported as presumed to be wounded and missing, his family were informed. After extensive investigation it was concluded April 14th 1917 that the authorities had accepted that sufficient evidence for official purposes existed to presume that Private 30071 Joseph James Tait Durham Light Infantry died September 16th 1916. He was struck off and his family informed as to their findings.
His sacrifice is recorded as one of the 72,246 names inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Thiepval, France, commemorating British and South African servicemen who died on the Somme 1915-1918 who have no known grave. He was 21 years old and single.
All monies owed to him were awarded to his father Joseph James Tait of 32, Lowson Terrace, Carlton Iron Works, County Durham along with his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Joseph James Tait Snr died aged 84 years on 1936, Mary Ann Tait nee Bell in 1938 aged 84 years, both registered in the district of County Durham.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Joseph James Tait is remembered at Stillington on S137.01 and S137.02
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 249
