Notes kept in diary fashion kept by Captain Edward B. Tanner (1865-1940) as a prisoner of war. Tanner was a prisoner of war in Tripoli following the sinking of HMS TARA.

Administrative / biographical background
Tanner was born in Wexford, Ireland on 10 July 1865 and apprenticed to W H Ross & Co. Liverpool, 27 September 1882 to 3 October 1887 and served in the ship citadel. He was second officer in the Barque RUTHWELL, 1888-1889 and officer in the Barque KIER in 1890. His masters' certificate was issued on 10 January 1891 and issued at Wexford. He joined the LNWR and served in many of the fleet based in Holyhead, running to Dublin, Northwall, Greenore, and Dunlaoghaire. He retired in 1927 and died in Holyhead on 10 June 1940. He was favourably noted by the Admiralty for his conduct on the sinking of HMS TARA in 1915 and was awarded an OBE (civil division) for his services as master of the CAMBRIA (hospital ship) between 1917 and 1919. He was preceded at sea by his elder brother, whose ship was lost with all hands, and followed at sea by his eldest son, the late Captain W B Tanner, RD, RNR of the Cunard Steamship Company. Bibliography relating to the sinking of HMS TARA: In the Hands of the Senoussi (compiled from the diary of Captain R Gwatkin-Williams by Mrs Gwatkin-Williams, 1916). Prisoners of the Red Desert by Captain R S Gwatkin-Williams Ships and Seamen of Anglesey by Aled Eames (pages 510-515 for account of incident).