September 21 remembrance ni Hill 70 VC winner from Kilkeel The Battle of Hill 70 Memorial Park opened to the public in August 2017 and was completed in October, 2019. The centrepiece of the Memorial Park is an obelisk signifying the victory of the Canadian Corps at the Battle of Hill 70 in 1917. Page 1 September 21 On this day in 1917 Robert Hanna (Left) from Aughnahoory, Kilkeel, serving in the Canadian Army was recommended for the award of the Victoria Cross. He had emigrated to Canada in 1905 and took up farming initially before working as a logger in British Columbia. He enlisted at Vancouver, British Columbia on 01/11/1914. He was posted to 29th Battalion and sailed for it for Britain on 20/05/1915 on RMS Missanabie. He was fined one day’s pay for being absent 22nd-23rd August. Robert sailed with the Battalion to France on 17/09/1915, arriving in Boulogne the following day. He was a member of a wood cutting party, returning to the Battalion on 06/01/1916. Having contracted German measles, he was admitted to 6th Canadian Field Ambulance on 31/03/1916 and No 7 General Hospital, St Omer on 1st April until being discharged on 13/04/1916. He attended a bombing course and was promoted to Lance Corporal on 20th August. He was then promoted to Sergeant on 9th October, and then Page 2 September 21 attended the Canadian Corps Training School from 29/01/1917 to 24/02/1917. He was then appointed Acting Company Sergeant Major of B Company on 21st August. Hill 70 background British Commander-in- Chief Sir Douglas Haig decided to launch a strategic offensive in Flanders, east of Ypres, on 31 July 1917. Known as the Passchendaele campaign, it quickly stalled amid heavy fighting, rain, and mud with diminishing hope for a large-scale breakthrough. (The very name Passchendaele would become a byword for futile warfare with heavy casualties.) To divert German reinforcements away from the Passchendaele battlefield, Haig ordered attacks further to the south. One of these, involving the First Army, would see the Canadian Corps attack Lens. Haig ordered Sir Arthur Currie, who in June had been placed in command of the Canadian Corps, to launch a frontal assault on the city of Lens. Instead of attacking the heavily fortified city directly, Currie, after studying the ground, convinced his British superiors that a better plan would be to capture Hill 70, directly to the north. If this dominating hill could be taken, the Germans would have no choice but to counterattack. Currie planned for artillery and Page 3 September 21 The Obelisk from the Hannah VC Pathway machine-guns to smash these German concentrations, thereby weakening their hold on the entire sector. The Canadians attacked on 15 August and captured many of their objectives, including the high ground. They then held their positions against 21 determined German counterattacks over the next four days. Canadian probing attacks against Lens on 21 and 23 August were unsuccessful, but Currie’s forces had inflicted severe casualties on the enemy and gained the high ground overlooking the city. The Canadians suffered more than 9,000 casualties at Hill 70, but killed or wounded an estimated 25,000 Germans. Hanna and Hill 70 On August 21st, 1917, at Hill 70 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 Page 4 September 21 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. He was officially promoted to Company Sergeant Major six days later. The VC was presented by King George V at Buckingham Palace on 05/12/1917. He attended officer training and was granted leave to visit his family home in Kilkeel. He received a hero’s welcome in the square from over 3,000 people, who gave him several gifts. On 10/11/1917, he was posted to the Canadian Training unit. He served with 138th Company at Inverness from 4th January until 29th April 1919, then rejoined the CFC Base Depot Sunningdale, reverting to 29th Battalion next day. Robert sailed for Canada on 10th May and was on the strength of District Depot XI, Hastings Park, Vancouver until being demobilised in Ottawa, Ontario on 24/05/1919 He returned to the lumber industry and managed a logging camp at Aldergrove, British Columbia. In 1930 he married Hannah May Gillis, of Scottish origin, and went back to farming, settling at Bradner Road, Mount Lehman, British Columbia. They had two sons, John and Robert HA Hanna. Robert was also a Freemason, being initiated into Canada Lodge No 3527, London. He was affliated to Lions Gate Lodge No 115, Vancouver on 6th October 1938. Robert attended the VC Centenary Celebrations at Hyde Park, London on 26th June 1956. He died at Mount Lehman, British Columbia on 15th June 1967 and was buried in the Masonic Cemetery, Burnaby, British Columbia. Page 5 September 21 Robert Hill Hanna (1887-1967) was born on 6th August 1887 near Hanna’s Close, Aughnahoory, Kilkeel, County Down, Ireland. His father, also Robert Hill Hanna, was a farmer. He married Sarah (surname unknown) in c.1885. They had a large family of eleven children including Robert, who was the second eldest. Robert was educated at Ballinran School, near Kilkeel. On 21September 2017, the centenary of the approval of his award, the Ulster History Circle unveiled one of its distinguished commemorative blue plaques, to him at Kilkeel Presbyterian Church, (known locally as "The Wee ‘Meetin' ") where he used to worship. The Canadian War Museum in Ottawa acquired the Victoria Cross medal awarded to Lieutenant Robert Hanna, 29th Battalion ( Vancouver ), Canadian Expeditionary Force. Page 6 September 21 The CWM now holds four of the six Victoria Crosses awarded for the action at Hill 70 near Lens & Loos. For the award of the Victoria Cross [ London Gazette, 8 November 1917 ], Lens, France, 21 August 1917, Company Sergeant Major Robert Hill Hanna, 29th Bn ( Vancouver ), Canadian Expeditionary Force. For most conspicuous bravery in attack ( Lens, France ), when his company met with most severe enemy resistance and all the company officers became casualties. A strong point, heavily protected by wire and held by a machine gun, had beaten off three assaults of the company with heavy casualties. This Warrant Officer under heavy machine gun and rifle fire, coolly collected a party of men, and leading them against this strong point, rushed through the wire and personally bayonetted three of the enemy and brained the fourth, capturing the position and silencing the machine gun. This most courageous action, displayed courage and personal bravery of the highest order at this most critical moment of the attack, was responsible for the capture of a most important tactical point, and but for his daring action and determined handling of a desperate situation the attack would not have succeeded. Colour Sergeant Major Hanna’s outstanding gallantry, personal courage and determined leading of his company is deserving of the highest possible reward. Acknowledgments - Canadian War Museum, Dictionary of Ulster Biography, Hill 70, Victoria Cross Organisation, VC Online Page 7 September 21 Roll of Honour - September 21 Representing their comrades who died on this day 1916 +BITTLES, George H Indian Ordnance Department. Major. Died 21/09/1916. Adelaide Ave., Coleraine. Coleraine Cemetery +CARMICHAEL, James McNeil Canadian Infantry. 2nd Btn. Private. 460262. Died 21/09/1916. Vimy Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Larne WM 1917 +BROWNE, William Angus Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 8th Battalion, attached Royal Flying Corps. 53rd Squadron. Lieutenant. Reported missing in action on 21/09/1917. He was killed on that date. Age 24. Originally formed at Catterick on 15/05/1916, it was planned to use 53 Squadron as a training squadron, but in the December of that year it was sent to St Omer in France in the Corps reconnaissance role. The Squadron operated BE2Es until April 1917, when these were replaced by RE8s, Page 8 September 21 Agira Canadian War Cemetery, Italy. which it continued to use for the remainder of the war. William Angus Browne attended the Belfast Municipal Technical Institute to do an engineering course and on 01/09/1914 he joined QUB OTC. He was the younger son of William and Eleanor Browne, Tubber-na-carrig, Kircubbin and Agincourt Avenue, Belfast. He was buried at Post - du - hem military Cemetery, La Gorgue, Nord, France. Commemorated in Kircubbin Parish Church (Holy Trinity) and family grave headstone in the adjoining graveyard.Two of his sisters named their sons after him. James Hawks Stokes and Helen Lyle Stokes (nee Browne) had a son they named William Angus Bartlett Stokes (named after William Angus Browne) and he was killed in the Second World War. Flying Officer (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) William Angus Page 9 September 21 Bartlett Stokes (No. J/18752) served with 295 (RAF) Squadron in the Royal Canadian Air Force and he was 24 when he died on 11/06/1943. He was buried in Heanton Punchardon (St. Augustine) Churchyard, Devon. John Boyd Iliff and Emily Davidson Iliff (nee Browne) had a son they named William Angus Boyd Iliff (named after William Angus Browne) and he was knighted by the Queen in 1961. 1918 +BROWN, William Thomas RN.