Christopher Champain Tanner, AM (24 June 1908ESPN – 22 May 1941Deaths. The Times (London, England), Thursday, 3 Jul 1941; pg. 1; Issue 48968) was a Gloucester,Gloucester Rugby Heritage BarbariansRugby Library Database 1851586342 and England Rugby Union international,The Rugby History Society winning five caps between 1930 and 1932.Centenary History of the Rugby Football Union:McWhirter, R/Titley, U.A: London, RFU,1970 He was posthumously awarded the Albert Medal for the rescue of around 30 sailors in the Second World War.
Tanner was educated at Cheltenham CollegeCheltenham College Chapel Brochure and Pembroke College, Cambridge.Crockfords, 1938 p1134 He was ordained in 1935; served curacies in Farnham, Surrey and Gloucester; and was Priest in charge of St Christopher, Haslemere. In 1937 he married Eleanor Rutherford:Marriages The Times (London, England), Monday, 20 Sep 1937; pg. 15; Issue 47794 they had one daughter born after his death in 1941.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
In June 1940 he became a Chaplain with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve;TGTT and was awarded the Albert Medal for his work in attempting to save fellow shipmates"A Handbook of Chaplaincy Studies: Understanding Spiritual Care in Public Places" Swift, C; Cobb, M; Tod, A (Eds) p206: London, Routledge, 2015 when was sunk during the Battle of Crete in May 1941. He succumbed to his exhaustion and died, aged 32, as soon as he was about to board . He is commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Plymouth Naval Memorial. The rood cross at St Christopher, Haslemere is dedicated to his memory.
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