Notes
His biography on the college website states: ‘Christopher was born in London, the second son of the Revd Dr Percy Dearmer and his wife Jessie Mabel Pritchard, nee White. He was baptised by his father at St Anne’s Church, South Lambeth on 23 April 1894. He was educated at Temple Grove and then at Charterhouse in Girdlestoneites House from Oration Quarter (autumn term) 1908 to Long Quarter (spring) 1910.
He was at Christ Church 1913-1914, went to Hanover to study German, Moscow and the Crimea to study Russian, and was in Tours learning French when the War broke out. He wrote to his mother,
“I am coming home to enlist. Your loving son Christopher”.
He returned to England, enlisting in the Public Schools Corps in August, and being commissioned Lieutenant in the Armoured Car Section of the RNVR and RNAS in October 1914. “Because of his proficiency in languages Christopher had been quickly promoted and could have remained in a staff job far from enemy action, but that was not his wish. At last he was given 3 choices, all honourable, but one led to the deadly shores of Sulva Bay. It is said that ‘the powers that be’ came aboard the ship moored in Sulva Bay to try and persuade him not to join the troops ashore, but he was bored and anxious for action, so reluctantly he was told “you can go if you must”. “For 10 days he tasted battle then on 6 October a stray shell hit his tent, falling almost into his lap. He was taken aboard HM Hospital Ship Gloucester. A letter to his father said “he had no pain and was rather inclined to sleep, and that evening at seven he died, and they buried him at sea before bed-time.” (From Donald Gray’s biography of Percy Dearmer)/
His Estate amounted to £75 17s 1d. Administration with Will granted to Marian Jane Knowles, wife of Arthur Knowles, attorney of Geoffrey Dearmer. Christopher is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. His brother Geoffrey had preceded him to Christ Church, the previous year, and survived the War. Their father was editor of the English Hymnal in 1906 and Songs of Praise in 1925.