Description
Object description
A ts copy of the diary of a Chaplain to the Forces, covering his service on the Western Front, 1916 - 1919, as Padre to the Machine Gun Corps Depot at Camiers (April 1916), before volunteering to go the front, posting to the 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment (100th Brigade, 33rd Division) (January 1917 - 1918), with details of the difficulties of daily burial services, acting as a stretcher bearer at Clery (February 1917), the Worcesters moving to the Arras front, fierce fighting at Croiselles leading to a drop in morale (May 1917), moving to the Ypres Salient (September 1917), the bitter battle for Passchendaele Ridge, the Aid Post where Tanner was working coming under heavy fire, for which he was awarded the Military Cross, in the line between Messines and Warneton (October - December 1917), home leave due to sciatica in his leg, rejoining the Battalion at Brandhoek (March 1918), German attacks on Neuve Eglise and retreat to Hill 70 (April 1918), the loss of all the Company officers and injury to himself, the award of a Bar to his MC, returning to the Ypres Salient (June - September 1918), moving to the Somme with heavy casualties at Villers Guislan (September 1918), personally taking prisoners at Engelfontaine (October 1918), joining the staff at GHQ Ordination Test School at Le Touquet (December 1918 - February 1919), followed by his demobilisation. Throughout his entries throw light on his beliefs about the role of an Army Chaplain and the impact of religion on the troops, and that a padre should be prepared to share the same risks as the men, with his belief in the co-operation with non-conformists. Inserted in the diary are copies of sermons delivered by Tanner at Weymouth College and to his Battalion, press cuttings about the activities of the 2nd Worcesters, and reports by the Commanding Officers on the fighting at Passchendaele Ridge and Neuve Eglise.
Content description
A ts copy of the diary of a Chaplain to the Forces, covering his service on the Western Front, 1916 - 1919, as Padre to the Machine Gun Corps Depot at Camiers (April 1916), before volunteering to go the front, posting to the 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment (100th Brigade, 33rd Division) (January 1917 - 1918), with details of the difficulties of daily burial services, acting as a stretcher bearer at Clery (February 1917), the Worcesters moving to the Arras front, fierce fighting at Croiselles leading to a drop in morale (May 1917), moving to the Ypres Salient (September 1917), the bitter battle for Passchendaele Ridge, the Aid Post where Tanner was working coming under heavy fire, for which he was awarded the Military Cross, in the line between Messines and Warneton (October - December 1917), home leave due to sciatica in his leg, rejoining the Battalion at Brandhoek (March 1918), German attacks on Neuve Eglise and retreat to Hill 70 (April 1918), the loss of all the Company officers and injury to himself, the award of a Bar to his MC, returning to the Ypres Salient (June - September 1918), moving to the Somme with heavy casualties at Villers Guislan (September 1918), personally taking prisoners at Engelfontaine (October 1918), joining the staff at GHQ Ordination Test School at Le Touquet (December 1918 - February 1919), followed by his demobilisation. Throughout his entries throw light on his beliefs about the role of an Army Chaplain and the impact of religion on the troops, and that a padre should be prepared to share the same risks as the men, with his belief in the co-operation with non-conformists. Inserted in the diary are copies of sermons delivered by Tanner at Weymouth College and to his Battalion, press cuttings about the activities of the 2nd Worcesters, and reports by the Commanding Officers on the fighting at Passchendaele Ridge and Neuve Eglise.
History note
Cataloguer SJO
