Robert Hill Hanna
Company Sergeant-Major, 29th Battalion, British Columbia Regiment
- Register No.
- 524 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Company Sergeant-Major (register: Company Sergeant Major) all Company Sergeant-Majors →
- Unit
- 29th Battalion, British Columbia Regiment (register: 29th Battalion, CEF) all CEF VCs →
- Date of action
- 21 August 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 8th November, 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Born
- 6th August, 1887 at Kilkeel, County Down, Ireland
- Died
- 15th June, 1967 at Mout Lehman, British Columbia, Canada
- Memorial / grave
- in the Masonic Cemetery, Burnaby, British Columbia
Digest of citation
On 21st September, 1917, at Lens, France, Company Sergeant-Major Hanna's company met with most severe enemy resistance at a heavily protected strong point, which had beaten off three assaults and all the officers of the company had become casualties. This warrant officer, under heavy machine-gun and rifle fire, coolly collected and led a party against the strong point, rushed through the wire and personally killed four of the enemy, capturing the position and silencing the machine-gun. This courageous action was responsible for the capture of a most important tactical point
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
HANNA, Robert Hill. (reg No. 524).
Company Sergeant-Major. 29th Battalion, British Columbia Regiment. Canadian Expeditionary Force.
Gazetted on 8th November, 1917.
Born on 6th August, 1887 at Kilkeel, County Down, Ireland.
Died on 15th June, 1967 at Mout Lehman, British Columbia, Canada.
Memorial on grave in the Masonic Cemetery, Burnaby, British Columbia.
Digest of Citation reads: On 21st September, 1917, at Lens, France, Company Sergeant-Major Hanna's company met with most severe enemy resistance at a heavily protected strong point, which had beaten off three assaults and all the officers of the company had become casualties. This warrant officer, under heavy machine-gun and rifle fire, coolly collected and led a party against the strong point, rushed through the wire and personally killed four of the enemy, capturing the position and silencing the machine-gun. This courageous action was responsible for the capture of a most important tactical point.
Additional information:. Robert Hanna later was promoted to lieutenant.
Additional information
Robert Hanna later was promoted to lieutenant
Canadian Expeditionary Force.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: in the Masonic Cemetery, Burnaby, British Columbia
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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