Christopher Chavasse Christopher Maude Chavasse , OBE , MC , TD ( 9 November 1884 – 10 March 1962 ) was a British athlete , soldier and religious leader . He competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London , served in the First World War and was later the Bishop of Rochester . Early life . Chavasse was the son of Francis Chavasse , a Bishop of Liverpool and founder of St Peter ' s College , Oxford and his wife Ethel Maude . His twin brother , Noel Godfrey Chavasse , won the Victoria Cross and bar . Christopher was the elder of the two by 20 minutes . The twins had two other brothers and three sisters . Both Christopher and Noel Chavasse attended Trinity College , Oxford , competing in both rugby and athletics . They competed on the British team at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London : Christopher came second in his preliminary heat of the 400 metres shortly after Noel came third in his heat of the same event . Neither advanced to the semi - finals . Military service . During World War I , Chavasse served as a Chaplain in the Royal Army Chaplains ' Department of the British Army . On 15 August 1916 , he was promoted from Chaplain to the Forces 4th Class ( equivalent to Captain ) to Chaplain to the Forces 3rd Class ( equivalent to Major ) . On 30 September 1918 , he was promoted to Chaplain to the Forces 2nd Class ( equivalent to Lieutenant Colonel ) . Career . After the First World War , Chavasse rose through the ranks of the Church of England . He was nominated Bishop of Rochester on 19 March 1940 , consecrated on 25 April the same year and served in that position until his resignation on 30 September 1960 . In 1948 , a sermon given by Chavasse about Belshazzar ' s Feast was featured as a religious short film produced by J . Arthur Rank . In 1943 Chavasse was chairman of the Archbishops ' Commission on Evangelism which published the controversial report " Towards the conversion of England " . In accordance with his hope for mass evangelisation , in 1955 Chavasse supported the Crusade of Billy Graham at Harringay Arena . Chavasse gave his views on homosexuality informally to the Wolfenden Committee , disagreeing with the eventual proposal of the committee to allow same - sex relationships to be legal in private , and arguing that " homosexual practice is alarmingly catching " . He served as the first Master of St Peter ' s College , Oxford upon its founding in 1929 by his father . He also served briefly as an original Trustee of the college upon its incorporation in 1961 . Personal life . Chavasse married Beatrice Willink shortly after the First World War , in July 1919 . They had three sons : Noel , their eldest son named in honour of his uncle Noel Godfrey Chavasse , Michael and John , and two daughters , Anna and Susan . Honours and decorations . Chavasse was awarded the Military Cross ( MC ) during World War I . His citation , published in the London Gazette dating 25 August 1917 , read : He was also awarded the Croix de Guerre ( 1914 – 1918 ) by the Republic of France ' for distinguished services rendered during the course of the campaign ' . Chavasse ' s other World War I decorations included the 1914 Star with clasp , the British War Medal , and the Victory Medal . In the 1936 King ' s Birthday Honours , he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire ( OBE ) in its Military Division . In 1937 , he was awarded the King George VI Coronation Medal . On 31 January 1941 , he was awarded the Efficiency Decoration ( TD ) for long service in the Territorial Army . In June 1946 , he was appointed Chaplain of the Venerable Order of Saint John ( CStJ ) . On 18 March 1959 , he was commissioned as a Deputy Lieutenant ( DL ) by the Lord Lieutenant of Kent .