Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

When Robert Douglas Clyde Hanna was born on the 12 July, 1895, at Ournie in New South Wales, his father, Robert (1858 to 1946), was 38 and his mother, Margaret Jean, nee Clyde (1868 to 1939), was 28. He had two brothers, Hugh Gordon (1891 to 1974) and Kenneth Alexander (1900 to 1977).

Records from the Corryong Courier in early 1917 indicate that Robert initially failed his medical examination when trying to enlist. His enlistment papers do include a note that says he had tried beforehand but was rejected due to varicose veins. Clearly, that wasn’t a problem the second time around.

When Robert enlisted at Wangaratta, Victoria on the 4 August, 1917, he was a single, 22-year-old grazier from Walwa. His medical examination records a height of 5 foot 11 inches (180 cm) and a weight of 168 lbs (76 kg). Robert’s complexion is given as clear, his eyes blue and his hair brown. He gave his religious denomination as Presbyterian. He was allocated the service number 2498 and was put on strength with the 21st Reinforcements for the 13th Light Horse Regiment.

On the 21 November, 1917, he embarked on HMAT A71 Nestor at Melbourne, Victoria and sailed for overseas service. He disembarked at Suez and spent approximately a month at the Australian Camp before embarking on HMT Abbasseih at Alexandria and sailing for England. Robert disembarked at Southampton on the 24 January, 1918, and was sent to the Light Horse Training Depot at Tidworth. While in England Robert was admitted to the Brimstone Bottom Hospital on the 13 March, suffering from mumps. He would remain here until the 2 April, when he returned to the Training Depot.

In mid-May he was transferred to the 4th Light Horse and proceeded overseas to France via Folkestone. Upon arriving in France he was first sent to the Australian General Base Depot at Haivre. It would be another two months before he rejoined the 13th Light Horse on the 10 August. Robert would undergo one more transfer this time being detached for duty at Australian Corp Headquarters.

After the Armistice, Robert was given two weeks leave in the United Kingdom. He would have the opportunity for another stint of leave, also in the United Kingdom from the 8 February, 1919, to the 28 February, 1919. Upon returning from leave he remained with the Australian Corp Headquarters before being transferred to England on the 30 April, 1919, prior to being shipped home to Australia on the 15 May, 1919. It would be over a year before he was discharged from the AIF on the 27 August, 1920. For his services during the war he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Upon arriving back in Australia and obtaining his discharge, he returned to Rocklea at Walwa and remained there for a number of years before moving to Hay in New South Wales. In 1922 he married Helen Kiddle. The engagement notice was reported in the 19 August, 1922, edition of The Australiasian;

The marriage will take place in September between Helen Muriel, youngest daughter of Mr and Mrs Richard Kiddle, Tilly Glen, Stawell and Robert Douglas Hanna of Rocklea, Walwa, second son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hanna of Walwa.

When the Second World War broke out in 1939, Robert once again enlisted, this time in the Citizens Military Forces at Seymour in Victoria. He was given the service number V371470.

Electoral rolls indicate that Robert and Helen lived in Hay, Mansfield and Warragul. The latter two being in Victoria. Robert passed away in Sale, Victoria in 1969, at the age of 73.

Extract from "Light Horsemen of the Upper Murray", Year 5 and 6 Project, Corryong College.