C. S. Wallis

Charles Steel Wallis (1874–1959) was a British Church of England priest, British Army chaplain, and academic. From 1902 to 1912, he was a tutor then Vice-Principal of the London College of Divinity. He was a military chaplain during World War I. From 1919 to 1945, he was Principal of St John's College, Durham, and a lecturer in ecclesiastical history and in logic at Durham University.

Early life

Wallis was born in 1874 to William Wallis, a solicitor. He was educated at Hatton House School, Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire.^[1]

Career

Following school, Wallis studied at the London College of Divinity and completed the universities preliminary theological examination (the exam for none-degree ordinands) in 1902. He was then ordained in the Church of England. He continued his studies at Durham University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1906 and a Master of Arts (MA) degree in 1909.^[1]

Having been ordained, he joined the staff of the London College of Divinity in 1902. In 1903, he was appointed a college tutor. He served as Dean from 1904 to 1912.^[1]

In 1912, he left to join St John's College, Durham as Vice-Principal and chaplain. He took a break from St John's between 1915 and the end of World War I to serve as a military chaplain.^[2] Following his return from war in 1919, he took over as Principal of St John's College.^[3] During his time leading the college, he extended its size, acquired further buildings and increased its finances.^[1][3] In 1930, he was additionally appointed Rector of St Mary-le-Bow, Durham (now a redundant church housing Durham Museum and Heritage Centre).^[4] At various times, he was a lecturer in ecclesiastical history and in logic at Durham University, Sub-Warden of the colleges, and a member of the Durham University Council.^[1]

He retired in 1945 and died on 6 June 1959.^[1]

Military service

Wallis became a military chaplain in 1915 and served with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force during World War I.^[1] On 7 May 1915, he was appointed a temporary Chaplain of the Forces 4th Class (equivalent to the rank of captain) in the Army Chaplains Department, British Army.^[2] In July 1915, he sailed for the Dardanelles and the Gallipoli Campaign.^[5] His duties on the transport ship included taking services, keeping up the spirits of the men and censoring the troops letters home.^[6] Ashore, he duties included basic first aid (undressing troops and washing wounds), giving last rites and holding funerals.^[7] He would also accompany hospital ships taking the wounded from the battlefield to hospitals in Egypt or Malta; he continued his basic first aid duties, services, funerals and additionally acted as letter writer for the wounded.^[8]

Selected works

• Wallis, C. S. (1917). Fifty thousand miles on a hospital ship. London: The Religious Tract Society. 

References