| Regimental number | 430 |
| Date of birth | |
| Place of birth | Carlton, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
| Occupation | Caterer |
| Address | Goondiwindi, Queensland |
| Marital status | Married |
| Age at embarkation | 45 |
| Height | 5' 9.5" |
| Weight | 165 lbs |
| Next of kin | Wife, Mrs Margaret Gloss Tanner, Goondiwindi, Queensland |
| Previous military service | Served in the Permanent Artillery, Brisbane, Queensland. |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Brisbane, Queensland |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 31st Battalion, B Company |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/48/1 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A62 Wandilla on |
| Two ships left from Melbourne carrying the 31st Battalion Headquarters and Companies A, B, C and D: HMAT A62, 'Wandilla', on 9 November 1915 and HMAT A41, 'Bakara', on 5 November 1915. It is not possible from the Embarkation Roll to determine on which ship an individual embarked. | |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A41 Bakara on |
| Two ships left from Melbourne carrying the 31st Battalion Headquarters and Companies A, B, C and D: HMAT A62, 'Wandilla', on 9 November 1915 and HMAT A41, 'Bakara', on 5 November 1915. It is not possible from the Embarkation Roll to determine on which ship an individual embarked. | |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 31st Battalion |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of death or wounding | Fleurbaix, France (Battle of Fromelles) |
| Age at death | 46 |
| Age at death from cemetery records | 45 |
| Place of burial | No known grave |
| Commemoration details | V.C. Corner (Panel No 4), Australian Cemetery, Fromelles, France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 118 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: Richard and Margaret TANNER; husband of Margaret G. TANNER, Redcliffe, Queensland. Native of Carlton, Victoria |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Disembarked Suez, ex-HMT 'Wandilla', 7 December 1915. Found guilty 20 March 1916, of drunkenness at Tel el Kebir, 20 March 1916: fined 2/6 by Captain R. P. Blundell. Embarked Alexandria to the British Expeditionary Force, 16 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916. Admitted to No 8 Field Ambulance, 4 July 1916 (gastro-enteritis); transferred to No 12 Casualty Clearing Station; discharged to, and rejoined unit, 13 July 1916. Wounded in action, 19 July 1916. Previous report of wounded now, 26 August 1916, to be reported as 'Wounded and Missing, 19 July 1916'. Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 1 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'. Handwritten note on B.103: 'Buried at Fleurbaix, Sh.36 N.W. Statement, Red Cross File No 2690402, 424 Sergeant A.E. SPILLING, B Company, 31st Bn, 16 November 1916: 'He was taken prisoner at Fleurbaix on July 19th. A statement appeared in Battalion orders some time ago to this effect.' Second statement, 412 Pte T. McBRYDE, 31st Bn, 27 February 1917: 'I knew him very well, he is an old Queenslander and I know his number 430. We were at Fleurbaix. We held the trenches for 14 hours and we were then bombed out. I saw him killed by rifle fire. This was in the 2nd German line. He was shot just as we were getting out of the trench.' Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, TANNER Richard
Red Cross file 2690402 |
Postal Address:
Po Box 7916
Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
Northcott Drive,
Campbell, ACT 2600
