Pre-war
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.
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