Family :

Education & Career :

Charles Geoffrey Tomlin came up from Uppingham School in 1910 with a strong record in cricket, rugby and hockey to Jesus College, Cambridge.

Once at Jesus he continued his sporting prowess, rising to Captain of the rugby team by his final year and was described in the Annual Report as “being one of the best wicket-keepers we have ever had” (Jesus College Society Annual Report ,1917, pp38-39).

As a result of his sporting achievements he is given the honour of a “Cocks of the Roost” profile in the student magazine, Chanticlere, Michaelmas Term 1912, pp20 - 22.

The article concentrates largely on his sporting abilities, claiming that he was “heroic” in the lineout “where he is well worth watching, eyebrows down and elbows up, dealing black eyes to friends and foe alike”.

On the cricket field, not only was he agile behind the stumps but “he is a most reliable number eleven and was the hero of a remarkable stand against the Nomads last summer”.

The article also describes some of his other interests which included golf and tennis but it claims his “greatest delight” is to be in the saddle. “He is overjoyed (when the vac. comes) to hie him away to Whaddon Chase.”


Away from sporting activities he is described as being “the greatest social acquisition of his year to Jesus” as he was heavily involved in the Radegunds, the Natives, the Stratfords and the Alcock Glee Quartette.

He was also, apparently, “very fond of dumb animals”, with a special regard for guinea-pigs but most especially beloved was his Skyeish fox-terrier: “Whiskers”.

Sadly for Tomlin his father died during Michaelmas Term 1912 so he was unable to complete his degree.

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

The Battle of the Somme 1st July - 18th November 1916 is inevitably characterised by the appalling casualties (60,000) on the first day, July 1st 1916. Having failed to break through the German lines in force, and also failed to maximise opportunities where success was achieved, the battle became a series of attritional assaults on well defended defence in depth. The battle continued officially until 18th November 1916 costing almost 500,000 British casualties. German casualties were about the same, and French about 200,000. The Somme could not be counted a success in terms of ground gained or the cost, but it had a strategic impact as it marked the start of the decline of the German Army. Never again would it be as effective whilst the British Army, learning from its experience eventually grew stronger to become a war winning army. The German High Command recognised that it could never again fight another Somme, a view that advanced the decision to invoke unrestricted submarine warfare in an attempt to starve Britain of food and material, and in doing so accelerated the United States declaration of war thus guaranteeing the eventual outcome. 287 Brethren were killed on the Somme in 1916.

Masonic :

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley
• Website : Jesus College Cambridge Online Records
• Researcher : Tom Hawley