HANNA, Sergeant Herman Melvin (R66267) - Air Force Medal - No.3 Air Navigation School - Award effective 1 January 1946 as per Canada Gazette of that date and AFRO 82/46 dated 25 January 1946. Born 14 May 1917 at Bethune, Saskatchewan; home in Regina; enlisted there 24 April 1940 as Wireless Electrical Mechanic. To No.1 WS, 24 May 1940. Graded as Wireless Operator Ground, 1 June 1940. Promoted AC1, 6 January 1941. To No.11 (BR) Squadron, 3 February 1941. Promoted LAC, 8 July 1941. To \"K\", 24 February 1942. To Newfoundland, 15 May 1942. Promoted Corporal, 9 June 1942. To No.3 Repair Depot, 25 June 1943. To No.2 AOS, 13 January 1944. Promoted Sergeant, 1 March 1944. To No.7 AOS, 15 July 1944. To No.3 ANS, 23 March 1945. Retired 19 September 1945. As of recommendation had flown 1,007 hours, 240 hours in previous six months. Although this non-commissioned officer\'s trade is Wireless Operator (Ground), he has a very creditable flying record. His devotion to duty, skill and loyalty have been outstanding, while the leadership he has shown has been an inspiration to all who have worked with him. He has executed many difficult flying assignments in a most capable manner.

HANNA, F/L Richmond Francis Lionel (C13666) - Mention in Despatches - No.62 Base - Award effective 1 January 1945 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 379/45 dated 2 March 1945. Born 26 February 1913, County Monaghan, Ireland; emigrated to Canada in 1930 to live with his brother, W.H. Hanna, a member of the RCMP. Attended Normal School, Calgary, 1932. Taught school from 1932 onwards at Sunnybrook and then Hanna, Alberta; Also obtained BA, University of Alberta, by night courses. Enlisted in Calgary, 19 August 1940 as Armament Instructor. To No.1 Manning Depot, 24 November 1940. To Trenton, 30 November 1940. Promoted AC1, 24 February 1941. To No.3 SFTS, 25 February 1941. To Trenton, 16 April 1941. To Air Armament School, 23 April 1941. Promoted LAC and Corporal, 28 June 1941. Promoted Sergeant, 30 June 1941. Commissioned 4 September 1942. To Western Air Command, 2 October 1942; to Prince Rupert, 14 October 1942; attended Anti-Gas and Chemical Warfare Instructor’s Course, 6 November to 27 November 1942. To Coal Harbour, 22 January 1943. Promoted Flying Officer, 15 February 1943. To “Y” Depot, 23 January 1944. Taken on strength of No.3 PRC, Bournemouth, 6 February 1944, the date he embarked from Halifax. Arrived in Britain 20 February 1944. To Headquarters, No.6 Group, 28 February 1944. To No.62 Base, 10 March 1944. Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 15 May 1944; to No.63 Base, 1 April 1945 as Armament Officer; repatriated 27 September 1945. Retired 9 November 1945. Postwar he was a federal civil servant (Veterans Land Act administration)), Edmonton city alderman, Member of Parliament for four years, manager for Crown Life, Commissioner for Canadian Pension Commission. Retired to Victoria, 1979, where he died 17 January 1986 as reported in Legion Magazine, July/August 1986. No citation. See Press Release with entry for F/L A.F. Brooks for details of work after VE Day. HANNA, F/L Richmond Francis Lionel (C13666) - Member, Order of the British Empire - Station Tholthorpe (AFRO gives only "Overseas" as unit) - Award effective 1 January 1946 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 155/46 dated 15 February 1946. No citation in AFRO or biographical file. DHist file 181.009 D.1725 (PAC RG.24 Vol.10607) has recommendation dated 23 May 1945 when he was Station Armament Officer: This officer held the position of Armament Officer at RCAF Station Tholthorpe over a period when the two squadrons were operating against the enemy at a very high temp, on occasion carrying out two operations within a day. Never once was he faced with a major failure with reference to aircraft in the air or bombing up on the ground despite the size or frequency of operations. This speaks highly of his organization and particularly his leadership whereby his men have always responded cheerfully with all-out effort because he possesses the characteristics of being keenly interested in all aspects of their welfare to a degree not found in the average officer. The efficiency of his section was only attained through his keen sense of duty and responsibility towards his men. This officer is outstanding in all respects to a degree far above expectation. The records established on this station with reference to his sphere of operations merits recognition of a high order. In addition, because of the example he has set in character and leadership, coupled with his untiring efforts to give the utmost in efficiency, with no regard for himself, through long hours of hard work, continuous labour night and day without rest, he is highly recommended for the award of the Member of the British Empire. Notes and Assessments: Trained as Armourer, Air Armament School, Trenton, 3 December 1940 to 24 February 1941. “He has completed No.25 Armourer’s Course, finishing third out of 48. He has worked hard throughout the course and proved to be one of the Course’s outstanding personalities. He is keen, defendable and well balanced in his work. He is a university graduate and had little difficulty in achieving a high position in the course.” Course at Mountain View, 21 April to 28 June 1941 as Armament Instructor. This involved 22 hours as a passenger in Fairey Battle, courses in General Armament (143/200), Lectures, Tests and Plans (180/200), and Mathematics (88/100). “He has successfully completed No.16 S.A.I. course, finishing fourth in a class of 16. He worked very hard and maintained a high average throughout the course. His method of lecturing in excellent and his long experience as a teacher should enable him to become a most satisfactory S.A.I.” Described 31 December 1941 as follows - “A very capable and energetic instructor. Smart in appearance and reliable. Conscientious. Keen and loyal.” (S/L C.R. Lloyd, Air Armament School). Assessed 2 March 1942 - “A very efficient NCO. Conscientious, loyal and hard working, satisfactorily employed as G.I.S. (Armament) as an instructor.” (F/L G.R. Gwynne-Timothy, Station Mountain View.” Assessed 25 January 1943 - “Recently commissioned, interested in his work and with more experience as an officer will make a first class Armament Officer.” (F/L D.H. Hodgins, Prince Rupert). Assessed 25 December 1943 - “This officer has made a particularly good job of his section and is well regarded. Considered to be well worthy of promotion to the rank of Acting Flight Lieutenant.” (W/C J.E. Jellison, Coal Harbour). Assessed 13 January 1945 while Station Armament Officer, Tholthorpe. “Excellent manner towards all his subordinates and superiors. Takes a very keen interest in the welfare of his men. Satisfactorily filling position of Station Armament Officer.” (S/L J.B. Campbell). He personally wrote (14 November 1945), regarding his service at No.63 Base, “The position of Base Armament Officer carried with it much work and very considerable responsibilities, especially since the squadrons in No.63 Base were engaged on both bombing and sea-mining operations. Nor did the Base Armament Officer’s duties end with V-E Day since there were thousands of tons of explosives and much valuable equipment to be disposed of after that date.”

HANNAH, F/O Harold Allan (J28186) - Croix de Guerre (France) - No.405 Squadron (AFRO gives unit only as \"Overseas\") - Awarded as per AFRO 1619/45 dated 19 October 1945. Born 14 April 1921 at Rouleau, Saskatchewan. Home in Moose Lake, Saskatchewan; labourer; enlisted in Regina, 11 November 1940. To No.1A Manning Depot, 9 December 1940. To No.119 (BR) Squadron for non-flying duty, 31 December 1940. To No.3 ITS, 24 April 1941; graduated and promoted LAC, 7 June 1941; to No.17 EFTS that date; to No.8 SFTS, 26 July 1941; graduated and promoted Sergeant, 10 October 1941. To Central Flying School, Trenton, 10 October 1941. To No.13 EFTS, St. Eugene, Squadron, 1 December 1941 and promoted WO2 that date. Promoted WO1, 10 April 1943. To No.2 SFTS, Uplands, 13 June 1943. Commissioned 7 July 1943. To “Y” Depot, 8 July 1943. Embarked from Canada, 3 August 1943. Disembarked in Britain, 11 August 1943. To No.3 (Pilots) AFU, 26 August 1943. Attached to No.1531 Beam Approach Training Flight, 21-28 September 1943. To No.24 OTU, 14 December 1943. To No.61 Base, 19 March 1944. Attached to Dalton Battle School, 19-28 March 1944. To No.424 Squadron, 7 May 1944. To No.405 Squadron, 16 July 1944. Attached to Night Training Unit, 18 July to 4 August 1944 when returned to No.405 Squadron. Severely wounded in chest by flak, 2000 hours, 2 November 1944 over Dusseldorf (No.405 Squadron, Lancaster PB413). One other crewman slighty injured, three uninjured amd Flight Sergeant E.E. Perini baled out over target. One document says he landed at an American field. Another states he crash-landed one-half mile southeast of Debden. Transferred by ambulance to No.121 U.S. Field Hospital; To No.23 Canadian General Hospiral, 19 November 1944. To King Edward VII Emergency Hospital, Midhurst, 3 December 1944. Died 27 January 1945. Estate Document filed 20 February 1945 stated he had one brother in the RCAF (Cecil Norman Hannah) and a sister overseas with CWAC (Gladys Isabel Hannah) plus brother Angus Lowell Hannah (age 20, Comox) and sisters in Canada - Leone Agnes (age 8), Clara Edna (14), Dorothy May (18) and Mrs. W.G. Tuplin (28). Sister Gladys Isabel was with him when he died. She attended the funeral, as did Cecil Norman Hannah. Also present were members of his crew and \"some of his relatives in this country\". Although he would normally have been buried at Brookwood, his sister requested Harrowgate, Yorkshire, which was finally chosen. See note below about another brother. Public Records Office Air 2/9645 has citation. Flying Officer Hannah is a pilot and captain of aircraft who has participated in many successful air attacks during the Battle of France. Throughout this time, Flying Officer Hannah displayed great heroism and devotion to duty. By his courage and skill, displayed in pressing home all his attacks, he exhibited his maximum effort to ensure that the Allied landing forces received the air support so necessary to the success of their landings. This officer has shown a fine fighting spirit and his patriotic considerations are in keeping with the highest traditions of the service. Public Record Office Air 50/248 has a Combat Report for 15 September 1944 bearing on his career. Target was Kiel, Lancaster II, V/405, AD855, time 0103 hours, 18,500 feet, bearing 178 True, position 54.35N 10.05E. Weather was 4/10 cloud below, visibility good. Pilot was F/O H.A. Hannah, Rear Gunner was Flight Sergeant H.E. Perins (trained at No.24 OTU and No.1659 CU), Mid-Upper Gunner was Flight Sergeant A.L. Ririe. Enemy sighted at 300 yards, position port quarter against light sky; spotted by Rear Gunner. Identified as Me.109. Approached from port quarter above; direction of breakaway not known. Bomber made corkscrew to port. Rear Gunner fired 160 rounds at 300 yards. Narrative as follows: The fighter first sighted by the rear gunner and later by the mid-upper gunner who identified it as an Me.109. The rear gunner instructed the pilot to corkscrew port immediately and opened fire at the same time with one burst of 160 rounds from four guns, after which the fighter disappeared from his sight and was not seen again. Breakaway was not seen and no visible damage was sustained by the enemy who did not open fire. Training Notes: Course at No.3 ITS was 22 April to 28 May 1941. Coursed in Mathematics (68/100), Armament, practical and oral (72/100), Signals (100/100), Hygiene and Sanitation (34/40), Drill (79/100), Law and Discipline (43/600. Placed 56th in a class of 64. \"Gives intelligent answers. Plugging hard at Maths. Relaxes and becomes very communicative as you know him.\" (W/C John Burden, 28 May 1941). Course at No.17 EFTS was 9 June to 27 July 1941. Flew Fleet Finch II (23.45 dual, 27.15 solo of which 5.10 was on instruments. Also eight hours in Link. \"Very good student, appearance, discipline good. Commission material.\" (E.C. Dauphinee, Chief Flying Instructor, 27 July 1941). Ground courses in Airmanship (156/200), Airframes (80/100), Aero Engines (86/100), Signals, practical (94/100), Theory of Flight (76/100), Air Navigation (146/200), Armament, oral (110/200). Graded as 140/200 as NCO material. Placed 25th in a class of 34. \"Very steady worker, reserved, dependable, conscientious, should make good. Appearance and discipline good.\" (B.M. Smith, Chief Ground Instructor, 27 July 1941). Course at No.8 SFTS was 27 July to 10 October 1941; Anson aircraft (39.55 day dual, 41.55 day solo, 2.55 night dual, 7.00 night solo). Of this time, 21.10 on instruments. Also logged 20 hours in Link and 19.50 as passenger. \"Above average pilot. Very steady instrument pilot. No outstanding faults.\" (S/L K.L.B. Hodson, 10 October 1941. Placed 25th in a class of 39. In ground school courses were Airmanship and Maintenance (132/200), Armament, written (50/100), Armament, practical (65/100), Navigation and Meteorology (145/200), Signals, written (96100), Signals, practical (33.5/50). \"Slow to learn but obtained average results.\" (F/L J.B. Williamson, Chief Ground Instructor, 4 October 1941). Course at Central Flying School was 27 October to 22 November 1941 during which time he flew single-engine elementary trainer (11.55 day solo, 22.15 day dual), single engine advanced trainer (9.40 day solo, 1.00 night solo, 8.15 day dual, 2.00 night dual) and twin-engine advanced trainer (6.20 day solo, 1.00 night solo, 10.35 day dual, 1.00 night dual). \"Average pupil, industrious but lacks drive. Flying average, aerobatics weak, but improving with practice. Instrument flying average.\" (F/L C. Moran). Ground courses in Airframes (65/100), Engines (59/100), Airmanship (74/100) and Air Navigation (61/100). Tested 22 November 1941 by F/L G.P. Silke in Fleet aircraft. Assessed under following headings: Sequence (\"fairly good\"), Voice (\"good\"), Manner (\"pleaant\"), Ability to impart knowledge (\"average\"), and Remarks (\"Instructional ability should improve with further flying experience. To be checked by next visiting flight, Aerobatics good.\"). Awarded \"C\" Category as instructor and signed off by F/L J.W. Reid. Retested as instructor, 28 April 1942 in Finch II by F/L W.J. Harper, No.2 Visiting Flight. By then he had flown 246 hours at No.13 EFTS. Assessed under following headings: Sequence (\"flow average\"), Voice (\"hurried\"), Manner (\"nervous\"), Ability to impart knowledge (\"average\"), Ability as pilot (\"average in all phases\") and Remarks (\"This instructor was tested on a Fleet. There are some inaccuracies in his flying. Should also improve his sequence knowledge.\"). Awarded \"B\" Category as Instructor. Course at No.3 (Pilots) AFU was 2 September to 14 December 1943. Oxford aircraft (3.55 day dual to first day solo, 20.20 total day dual, 34.30 day solo, 2.00 night dual to first night solo, 8.40 total night dual, 9.40 night solo). Of these times, 3.40 in formation and 7.20 on instruments; also 3.50 as passenger and 7.30 in Link. Flying Tests in General Flying (290/400, Applied Flying (150/200), Instrument Flying (175/250), Night Flying (75/100) and Link (30/50). \"An above average pilot by night and by day. Is keen and intelligent and should do well.\" (S/L W.H. McGiffin, 13 December 1943. Course at No.1531 Beam Approach Training Flight was 22-28 September 1943 on Oxford aircraft (10.15 day, 40 minutes night, all dual on instrument and beam flying - also logged five hours in Link. \"A good average pupil. Instrument flying and beam work sound.\" Course at No.24 OTU was 15 December 1942 to 29 February 1944. Flew Whitley V aircraft (2.15 day dual to first day solo, total 9.25 day dual, 5.30 day solo and 23.55 as passenger by day; 2.45 night dual to first night solo, total 5.30 night dual, 3.50 night solo, 27.50 as passenger by night; logged 16.55 in Link. \"An ex-AFU pilot with abover average ability who should with further experience make an exceptional captain. He experienced no difficulty in converting to the heavy aircraft and during the course has completed four cross countries by day and four by night in addition to a Bullseye exercise at heights up to 15,000 feet. He has also carried out three fighter affiliation exercises by day and one by night.\" Ground courses in Airmanship (201/300) and Signals (65/100). Flying tests in General Flying (360/400), Applied Flying (175/200), Instrument Flying (200/250), Night Flying (90/100) and Link (39/50). \"Recommended for four-engine aircraft. An above average pilot and a sound captain.\" (W/C T.J. Gunn, Chief Instructor). Noted that \"He volunteered and is recommended for employment on Pathfinders.\" (this may be either Gunn or G.C A.C.P. Carver who adds the remarks.) Assessments: \"Has been a very good instructor\" (signature looks like P/O S.H. Phoenix, No.13 EFTS, 24 February 1942) \"A very dependable, conscientious NCO. Has always worked hard.\" (F/L R.E. Church, No.13 EFTS, St. Eugene, 2 May 1943). However, it was also noted that on 17 December 1942 he had made a forced landing after allowing engine to cool during prolonged glide - assessed as \"Carelessness.\" \"A quiet type, intensely loyal, well liked and respected by his fellow NCOs.\" (signature looks like F/L F. Jones, No.13 EFTS, 27 June 1943) \"During the time WO2 Hannah was at this unit he proved himself to be very reliable, cooperative and hard working. He is, in my opinion, definitely well suited for commissioned rank.\" (F/L R.E. Naylor, No.2 SFTS, 7 July 1943). Note: The letter which G/C W.F.M. Newson sent to the family on 9 February 1945 was especially well written and moving, including the following paragraph towards the end: I am very sorry, indeed, to have to convey this information to you, as you have already suffered the grievous loss of two fine sons in this terrible war. Perhaps you will derive some consolation from the thought that their sacrifices have not been in vain, and they have contributed to a finer world, in which, if the men in the Services have any voice, all free people may live in peace with their neighbours. The other son was J87007 Flying Officer Lloyd Albert Hannah, older brother (born Rouleau, Saskatchewan, 18 June 1918), a pilot, killed with No.625 Squadron, 14 October 1944 (Lancaster LL956). He had enlisted in Regina, 6 September 1940 as an Aero Engine Mechanic, but remustered to aircrew in August 1942, trained at No.4 ITS (Edmonton), No.5 EFTS (High River) and No.7 SFTS (Macleod), graduating as a pilot 6 August 1943. Proceeded overseas, September 1943, was commissioned 2 June 1944, and was posted to No.625 Squadron, 13 August 1944. On 14 October 1944 taking off for raid on Duisburg, starboard inner caught fire. Hannah ordered crew to bale out and six survived, but FS L.D. Bennett (air bomber) was killed with Hannah. For more details see DFC entry for F/O D.R. Paige.