Tatham,+Stephen


 * Corporal Stephen Tatham**, 8th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment. Service number:12563.

Killed in action on 11th August 1917, aged 30 years. Remembered on the Menin Gate War Memorial at Ypres. Panel 20. Husband of Bertha Tatham.

DIED A HERO'S DEATH Corporal Stephen Tatham, West Riding Regiment, late of 43, Church Street, Keighley, has been killed in action. In a letter of sympathy to the widow, a Captain with His Majesty's Forces says: I am Captain of this regiment and wish to express my deep sympathy with you on the death in action of your dear husband. He was struck by a shell, and death, I believe, was instantaneous. It was impossible to bury him before the battalion came out of the line, but the Burial Officer will see that he gets a reverent burial, and that the grave is marked. Your grief must be great, but remember that your gallant husband died a hero's death in the ???? forefront of the battle. He died gloriously for his country and in the cause of freedom. A sacrifice greater that no man can make. Your own consolation lies in the thought that death is not the end of life. Your dear husband now lives a richer and fuller life than he ever did this side of the end??? Try and think of him as still living and interested in your doings still." Corporal Tatham, who had been at the front for two and a half years, was formerly employed by Messrs. Thorpe, Johnson and Co., Keighley. He leaves a widow and one child.
 * Keighley News Report dated 15th September 1917, page 3:**

With the absence of a service record it is difficult to apply precise dates but we believe that Stephen Tatham volunteered in late 1914 or early 1915. His name appears with his brothers (James Edward's and Ben's) names on the list of 'Keighley's Gallant Sons' who had all enlisted early in the war and were all named in the Keighley News in 1916. This list is available in Keighley Library. He would have trained at Belton Park, Grantham (see attached picture) and the 8th battalion would have sailed from Liverpool in July 1915, arriving at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli on 7th August 1915. The battalion then moved to France in July 1916. Stephen made out a Will in January 1917, leaving everything to his wife. On 6th August 1917 the battalion moved from their resting positions at 'Poperinghe' to 'Canal Bank' and then to the front line near Langemarck. During this period their casualties were: 22 killed, 83 wounded, and 11 missing. The battalion diary reads for 10th August: "Attack by Y and Z companies on strong points just East of STEENBECK (LANGEMARCK). Positions held to 4 pm but forced to withdraw owing to heavy machine gun fire and large superior force and strength of their positions. Lt Gilchrist wounded." Stephen was killed on the 11th August, they day they were relieved by the 6th Yorks. He would definitely have received a reverent burial in a marked grave, but the grave position marker was probably lost in subsequent bombardments and battles over this area. Because of this he has no known resting place and is remembered on the Menin Gate with 55,000 other lost men. He earned the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. Bertha later received his Memorial Scroll and a named Bronze Memorial Plaque. His brothers Ben and Johnny (and possibly James Edward) also served and survived the war.
 * Army records information:**