Pte 50072 Harry Tanner

• Age: 29
• From: Stroud, Glos
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Harry Tanner was born in Stroud in 1887, the son of James Tanner and Emma (nee Smith), who married in Stroud in 1877. He was baptised on the 25th March 1892 at St Lawrence, Stroud. 

Harry's father James was born in 1854 in Stroud but died aged just 34 in the December quarter in 1889. 

The 1891 Census shows the family living at Summer Street, Stroud, Gloucestershire. His mother, Emma, is a widow aged 43, born in Stroud in 1848 and employed as a tailoress. She has seven children living with her, all of whom were born in Stroud; Walter George aged 20,born 1871 is a clothiers assistant, Jesse aged 15, born 1876 is a tailor, Frederick aged 12, born 1879, Elsie aged 9, born 1882 and Ann Maria aged 7, born 1884 are all scholars, Maud aged 5, born 1886 and Harry aged 3, born 1888. Emma’s father David Smith a widower aged 74, born 1817 in Randwick, Gloucestershire and her brother James Smith aged 40, born 1851 a labourer born in Stroud  are also living with them.   

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 80 Summer Street, Stroud, Gloucestershire. His mother Emma is aged 53, employed as a tailoress, and she has four children living with her; Elsie aged 19, born 1882 is a tailoress, Annie aged 17 works at a cloth mill, Maud aged 15 and Harry aged 13 have no occupation listed. Emma’s brother James Smith aged 50, a builder’s labourer is also living with them.   

In 1911 Harry and his widowed mother Emma are living at 69 Summer Street, Stroud, in the household of his married sister Elsie with husband Arthur Cross and two sons.  His mother, 65, works in tailoring.  Harry is 24, single, employed as a farm labourer.

Harry enlisted in Stroud as Private 1598 Royal Army Service Corps, then transferred to T4/Royal Army Service Corps as Pte 249070, and was serving as Pte 50072  19th Battalion,  The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 50072 when he was killed in action on the 31st July 1917 during the Third Battle of Ypres, better known as the Battle of Passchendaele.

The 19^th Battalion started the day in Divisional Reserve but were called forward in the early morning of 31^st July and reached Maple Copse in late afternoon. It was originally detailed to continue with the morning’s attack but this was cancelled and they eventually relieved a Battalion of the 53^rd Brigade in the newly captured line, sustaining casualties from shell fire.

The Battalion was relieved on the night of 03^rd/4^th August.

Although not actively engaged in the assault the Battalion lost 26 men killed or died of wounds with four officers and 101 men wounded.

Harry's death was reported in the Gloucester Journal on 29th September 1917:

Killed:

King's Liverpool Regiment, H. Tanner 50072, Stroud; 

Harry's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres in Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

Harry's effects and a pension of 7/- a week went to his mother Emma, at 69 Summer Street, Stroud, Gloucestershire.

His mother died ,aged 86, in theDecember quarter of 1933.

We currently have no further information on Harry Tanner, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.