Photo: Brian Chandler

Medal Index Card

Nieuport 1914-1918 by Robert Thys

In Whitley Bay (St.Paul's) Churchyard is a family headstone which reads:

Arthur Edward Tanner was born on the 6th June 1895, at 17 Osbourne Road, Jesmond, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, baptised on the 28th July 1895, to Albert Edward, a commercial traveller in the Grocery trade, born 22nd January 1865, [at Bedminster, Somersetshire], baptised at St James, Westminster, on the 21st May 1865, [son of Alfred Richard Tanner, born 1829 at Frome, Somerset, who in 1861, had a 150 acre farm, called New House Farm, employing 5 Labourers and 2 boys], and Mary Ann. Also Alice Tanner, nee Oates, [born 1863, daughter of Thomas and Sarah Oates], she died in 1904. They were married on the 25th August 1890 at St Michael and All Angels at Bishopton, Gloucestershire.

They had six children Alicia Mary, born 1892, Constance Clara, born 1894, both born at Jesmond, Charles Puget, born 1898, Elsie May, born 1902, and Henry Alfred, born 1904, born at 3 Clarence Crescent, Whitley Bay, Northumberland. In 1881, Albert was a boarder at Stockton, and was a Grocers Apprentice.

In 1901 The family were residing at 9 Clarence Crescent, Whitley Bay. They had two servants.

Albert Edward married his second wife, Ethel Jane in 1908, of 22 Rectory Terrace, Gosforth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

In 1911 the family were now residing at 110 St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Arthur was educated at the Royal Grammar School at Jesmond, Newcastle-upon-Tyne from 1909.

After leaving school he was a wholesale grocer working for Davison and Pickering Company.

Arthur had enlisted into the 1/6th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers with the service number 6/1675. He joined as a Territorial before the War, and was promoted to the rank of Lance-Corporal, eventually became a C.S.M.

He went to France on the 20th April 1915, from Folkestone to Boulogne on 'SS Onward' Ship number 125122. [the ship was actually named the 'SS Mona's Isle' (1905).

SS (RMS) Mona's Isle (IV) was a steel, triple-screw turbine driven packet steamer operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company between 1920 and 1948. Built in 1905 for the South Eastern & Chatham Railway Company, she was operated as Onward between Folkestone and Boulogne. In 1918 a fire was only controlled by scuttling the vessel. She was righted and in 1920, the hull was purchased by IOMSP Co to replace tonnage lost during the war. She was the first ship to complete a round trip during the evacuation of Dunkirk (Operation Dynamo), rescuing a total of 2,634 troops.

Under her original owners, the vessel saw service in World War I. Primarily, she was used as a troop transport ship for the British Expeditionary Force, on her regular route between Folkestone and Boulogne.

On the 24th September 1918, she caught fire in Folkestone Harbour. The fire took hold, and was only contained by the opening of her seacocks in order to prevent the pier catching fire. This resulted in the scuttling of the vessel; she turned over onto her port side, and was subsequently hauled upright by a team of five steam locomotives in harness.

World War 2.The Mona's Isle was considered an old ship, being 34 years old when war broke out in 1939. Like other Steam Packet ships, she was fitted out as an ABV – an Armoured Boarding Vessel – and for the first few months of the war her life was largely uneventful. This was set to change, as with the plight of the British Expeditionary Force becoming all too apparent, Mona's Isle joined no less than seven of her Steam Packet sisters, and made passage to Dunkirk.According to Admiralty records, Mona's Isle was the first ship to leave Dover for Dunkirk when Operation Dynamo began, although an exception being HMS Wolsey, a destroyer which was to act as a radio link ship.Mona's Isle departed Dover at 21:00hrs on The 27th May 1940. The journey across the Channel during the hours of darkness was uneventful, and she arrived at Dunkirk at approximately midnight. Once secured at the quayside, Mona's Isle embarked 1,420 troops and she left at first light the next morning.

On the 21st June 1915 Edward was sent to Hospital as sick. Returning home to the UK.

He was gazetted a 2nd Lieutenant on the 27th August 1915, in the Duke of Wellington (West Riding Regiment). London Gazette 10th September 1915.

He returned to France in September 1916, and was attached to the 16th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. He was wounded severely on the 10th July 1917.

There is a letter written by a fellow officer which mentions Tanner: I took the company into action on the night of the 10th, during which time one of my officers was killed and the other gassed; your son, [2nd Lieutenant Montagu Frank Peyton], was the only other left with me to carry on.

The following is copied from the Royal Grammar School Book of Remembrance, J1.19

Arthur was a Lance-Corporal in the 6th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers on August 4th, 1914, and was engaged on defence work between Newcastle and the coast. He went to France as Company-Sergeant-Major in April, 1915, and took part in the second battle of Arras. Invalided home in July, 1915, he returned to France as Second-Lieutenant in September, 1916, and was attached to the 16th Battalion N.F. He served at the Beaumont Hamel and Serre districts, afterwards taking part in the advance on St Quentin. He fell mortally wounded on June sic [July], 10th 1917 during the attack on Nieuport.

Sources say that he was wounded severely by shrapnel on July 10th 1917, during the heavy German artillery bombardment attack on Nieuport. He was taken by the 90th Field Ambulance [belonging to the 32nd Division], to the Hospital, but he died of his wounds.

In his will he left £210 192 4d to his Father.

Arthur Edward Tanner is remembered at Jesmond on J1.04, J1.06 and in J1.19 page 52, also in the 16th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers Roll of Honour page 171 and 173.

The CWGC entry for 2nd Lieutenant Tanner