The family of a ‘lost’ First World War soldier gave him a final farewell today after he was identified nearly 100 years after his death.

The remains of Private Harry Dibben – who was killed in the Battle of Fromelles in France in 1916 – were tracked down by his great-nephew Richard following years of research.

Pvt Dibben, 33, from Buckland Newton, was one of 250 Allied soldiers who were buried in an unmarked war grave by the Germans.

He had been shot in the chest as he attacked an enemy trench in a battle aimed at drawing the Germans away from the Somme.

Three years ago, archaelogists found and exhumed the mass grave and set about trying to identify the men before burying them in a newly-built Commonwealth War Grave.

Richard Dibben, a 58-year-old farmer from Marnhull, had spent years trying to find his relative’s remains, having been given a copy of a family tree, which revealed the soldier was killed in the battle.

He contacted the authorities when he learned of the discovery of the mass grave and was sent a DNA testing kit.

The results of the test were conclusive and Pvt Dibben’s was one of the bodies. Of the 250 men, he is one of only a few British soldiers to have been identified by name.

The names of more than 100 others are also known – they were Australian – and the rest are ‘known to God.’ Mr Dibben travelled to Fromelles to take part in the moving ceremony yesterday that was also attended by Prince Charles.

He said: “It’s all rather poignant and emotional.

“It must have been very difficult for Harry’s mother and brothers and sisters not knowing what had happened to him and there was no grave they could tend to.

“Now at last there is an end to the puzzle. I and my relatives are very pleased that he has had a formal burial and there is a headstone they can go and visit in years to come.”

Mr Dibben’s cousin, Andrew Foot, is a parish councillor in Buckland Newton and said he will do all he can to have Harry’s name inserted into the village war memorial.

He said: “Now we know what happened to Harry it’s only right and proper his name is added to the memorial. He was a Bucklandite and his name needs to be remembered.”