A Collection of Medals to the South Wales Borderers

Three: Lieutenant H. A. Hannay, 7th Battalion, South Wales Borderers, later Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force

1914-15 Star (2. Lieut. H. A. Hannay. S. Wales Bord.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. H. A. Hannay.) nearly extremely fine (3) £140-£180

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the South Wales Borderers.

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Hubert Arthur Hannay was born in Peckham, London, on 13 August 1888 and was a private secretary by way of civil employment. He served in the 1st Middlesex Volunteer Rifle Corps from 1904 until 1908 when he transferred to the 9th County of London Territorials in which he served until 31 March 1910.

Following the outbreak of the Great War he attested for the 17th (Empire) Battalion Royal Fusiliers on 9th September 1914 and after 152 days of Home Service he was discharged to a commission in the 7th Battalion, South Wales Borderers on 4 February 1915. As a Second Lieutenant he was one of the 7th Battalion’s original officers who went out to France in September 1915. They spent about six weeks in the lines near the Somme before heading to the Balkans, arriving in Salonika in mid November 1915.

Throughout the Salonika campaign the arduous conditions and poor diet took its toll on many and Hannay was admitted to the 28th General Hospital in Salonika with dysentery in the summer of 1916. He left the 7th Battalion on 16 February 1917 and travelled back to England via Malta on the Llandovery Castle, arriving in Avonmouth on 6 September 1917 still suffering from dysentery, furunculosis, and debility.

Now attached to the 3rd Battalion, South Wales Borderers in Hightown, Liverpool he received a letter copied to his regimental address on 15 January 1918 from the Commandant of the Cadet Brigade, R.F.C. at Hastings containing the following:
‘Owing to the serious shortage of Squadron Officers for duty with the R.F.C. Cadet Wings, the services of this officer are specially applied for. If there is no objection, will A.G4 issue orders for him to report to Headquarters, Cadet Brigade, Hastings, forthwith, for duty as a Squadron Officer.’ Signed by the Commandant, Hastings.’

Why Hannay’s services were so specifically solicited for this role isn’t clear but on 24 January 1918 he joined the Royal Flying Corps as a Squadron Officer with the Cadet Wing, transferring to the Cadet Wing of the Royal Air Force on its formation on 1 April 1918. Cadet Wings were the training establishments for officer cadets where they got a grounding in R.A.F. history, drill &c.before moving on to various schools of instruction.

Hubert Hannay died in Battersea, London, in 1963.

Sold with a file of copied research including the recipient’s Medal Index Card, attestation papers, a commission recommendation letter, and other service papers.