Robert Douglas Clyde Hanna

Robert Douglas Clyde Hanna was born on 12 July, 1895, at Ournie in New South Wales to Robert and Margaret Jean, nee Clyde, Hanna. He had two brothers and three sisters.

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

When Robert enlisted at Wangaratta, Victoria, on 4 August 1917, he was a single, 22-year-old grazier from Walwa. His medical examination records a height of 5 feet 11 inches (180 cm) and a weight of 168 lbs (76 kg). Robert’s complexion is described as clear, his eyes as blue, and his hair as 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 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 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 13 March, suffering from mumps. He would remain here until 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 10 August. Robert would undergo one more transfer, this time being detached for duty at Australian Corps 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 8 February 1919, to 28 February, 1919. Upon returning from leave, he remained with the Australian Corps Headquarters before being transferred to England on 30 April, 1919, and then shipped home to Australia on 15 May, 1919. It would be over a year before he was discharged from the AIF on 27 August, 1920. For his services during the war, he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Upon returning to Australia and receiving 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 younger sister of his older brother, Hugh’s wife Lilian. The engagement notice was reported in the 19 August 1922 edition of The Australasian.

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 are in Victoria. Robert passed away in Sale, Victoria, in 1969, at the age of 73.