Tanner, CP

Captain Charles Patrick Tanner

Born on St. Patrick’s Day 1892, Charles was the youngest of three children of a solicitor, William Tanner, and his wife, Fanny, all of whom would go on to attend Dulwich. He started at the College in September of 1905, shortly after his eldest brother, William, had left, and was a pupil for the next six years. He was a distinguished rugby player, playing in the 3^rd XV alongside his brother, Thomas, in 1909 and in the following year, his last, was a member of the 1^st XV. After leaving he went up to Keble College, Oxford, taking a 2^nd in Classical Moderations in the summer of 1913. Throughout his time at Oxford he was a regular member of his College 1^st XV, and was also a committed member of the university’s O.T.C.

In December 1914, not long after leaving Oxford, Charles took a commission in the South Wales Borderers but was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps not long afterwards. He went over to the front for the first time in the spring of 1916 and shortly afterwards was promoted to Lieutenant, before being appointed Captain in the autumn on 1917. Not much later, on November 30^th, he was seen for the last time, scouting a gunnery site at Marcoing, near Cambrai, and although his body was never discovered he was later declared to have died on this date. Both of his brothers also fell in the war, William in April 1917 and Thomas in September 1918. The C.P. Tanner Memorial Scholarship would later be founded at Dulwich in Charles’ honour.