Christopher Tanner
Christopher Champain Tanner | |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | Kit |
Born | Cheltenham, England | 24 June 1908
Died | 22 May 1941 HMS Kandahar, Mediterranean Sea off Crete | (aged 32)
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/ | Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve |
Rank | Chaplain |
Battles/wars | Second World War |
Awards | Albert Medal |
Christopher Champain Tanner, AM (24 June 1908[1] – 22 May 1941[2]) was a Gloucester,[3] Barbarians[4] and England Rugby Union international,[5] winning 5 caps between 1930 and 1932.[6] He was posthumously awarded the Albert Medal for assisting in the rescue of around 30 sailors[7] in the Second World War.[8]
Tanner was educated at Cheltenham College[9] and Pembroke College, Cambridge.[10] He was ordained in 1935; served curacies in Farnham, Surrey and Gloucester; and was Priest in charge of St Christopher, Haslemere.[11] In 1937 he married Eleanor Rutherford:[12] they had one daughter born after his death in 1941.[13] In June 1940 he became a Chaplain[14] with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve;[15] and was awarded the Albert Medal for his work in attempting to save fellow shipmates[16] when HMS Fiji was sunk during the Battle of Crete in May 1941.[17] He succumbed to his exhaustion and died, aged 32, as soon as he was about to board HMS Kandahar.[18] He is commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Plymouth Naval Memorial.[19] There is a Rood cross at St Christopher, Haslemere dedicated to his memory.[20]
References
- ^ ESPN
- ^ Deaths. The Times (London, England), Thursday, 3 Jul 1941; pg. 1; Issue 48968
- ^ Gloucester Rugby Heritage
- ^ Rugby Library Database 1851586342
- ^ The Rugby History Society
- ^ Centenary History of the Rugby Football Union:McWhirter,R/Titley,U.A: London, RFU,1970 ISBN 0-14-327370-1
- ^ BBC History
- ^ London Gazette
- ^ Cheltenham College Chapel Brochure
- ^ Crockfords, 1938 p1134
- ^ Geograph
- ^ Marriages The Times (London, England), Monday, 20 Sep 1937; pg. 15; Issue 47794
- ^ In 2003 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of St Christopher Haslemere, this daughter and her two sons (Tanner's grandsons) were invited to the service > "The History of St Christopher's Church" p7 2014
- ^ National Library of Scotland
- ^ TGTT
- ^ "A Handbook of Chaplaincy Studies: Understanding Spiritual Care in Public Places" Swift,C; Cobb,M; Tod,A (Eds) p206: London, Routledge, 2015 ISBN 978-1-4724-3406-7
- ^ HMS Fiji heroes
- ^ London Gazette
- ^ CWGC details
- ^ Parish web-site
- 1908 births
- Military personnel from Gloucestershire
- People from Cheltenham
- People educated at Cheltenham College
- Alumni of Pembroke College, Cambridge
- Gloucester Rugby players
- Barbarian F.C. players
- England international rugby union players
- 20th-century English Anglican priests
- Royal Navy chaplains
- Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War II
- Recipients of the Albert Medal (lifesaving)
- Royal Navy personnel killed in World War II
- 1941 deaths
- Gloucestershire County RFU players