Both Hanna brothers joined the Royal Navy as Boy
Seamen. Frank was ambitious and in 1913 was commissioned through the
newly introduced "Mates Scheme". When war was declared Mate Hanna
was serving in the torpedo boat TB1 in the North Sea. On promotion
to Lieutenant in 1915, he was appointed to the 6" gunned monitor M30,
a ship in which he saw action off the Gallipoli Peninsula and with
the Smyrna Patrol. Following the sinking of M30 in 1916, Lieutenant
Hanna joined the "bulged cruiser" Grafton which provided fire support
for troops engaged in the Salonica campaign. After Grafton was torpedoed,
Frank Hanna was given command of PC68 which operated as a submarine
decoy vessel (or Q boat) in the western approaches until February,
1918, and then as a convoy escort until the end of the war.
Arthur Hanna did not have his brother's ambition and on the outbreak of war
he was an Able Seaman in the destroyer Scorpion of the Mediterranean
Flotilla, a ship commanded by Andrew Cunningham, later Admiral of
the Fleet, Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope. AB Hanna served under
Cunningham throughout the Gallipoli campaign but left Scorpion for
treatment after being shot in the foot during a somewhat piratical
raid on the Turkish mainland. On recovery Arthur Hanna was drafted
to Laforey, a Harwich Force destroyer seconded to the Dover Patrol,
and in this ship he lost his life when she was mined in the Channel
in March, 1917.
Useful Links Frank's Story Arthur's Story |
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Michael Hanna, who was born in 1926, did not meet
his uncles Frank and Arthur but absorbed stories about them at an
early age. After serving in the Navy from 1944 to 1947 and while working
in local government, the author found his historical interests focussing
on the naval side of WW1 and the part played in it by his uncles'
ships. The Hanna brothers experiences in different types of vessels
and theatres of war would, it seemed, if brought together, provide
an "alternative history" to counterbalance the published volumes,
many of which concentrated on the operations of the Grand Fleet and
tales of Jellicoe, Beatty and other luminaries. A start on this project
has been made with Frank's story titled "Just a Number" and "Arthur's Story" - perhaps,
with good fortune, other works will follow.
contact Michael Hanna |
