G M Hannan - Major, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)

[slr20]

Im hoping someone here can shed light on the following as I am somewhat confused.

firstly: I am not, in any way related, to Major G M Hannan, however to find a Major of the Cameronians with a marker in my local graveyard had me very intrigued. After doing some research im stumped because it seemingly doesnt make sense to me.

So, the evidence currently as I have it:

1. CWGC entry: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/369521/HANNAN,%20G%20M

The picture shows the memorial to fallen soldiers of the Bearsted Parsish who gave their lives in the great war. It lists G M Hannan but no other details. There is no headstone in the churchyard - but i wasnt expecting this.

The CWGC lists him as a Major of the Cameronians who fell in battle 13th October 1915. I believe this would be around the battle of Loos. It was the fact the gentleman is listed as a Major but with no other detail such as parents etc that got me interested in looking in more detail in particular If he was a Cameronian what was the link to Bearsted (Kent) that would lead him to be remembered there.

2. I have searched around and found a published roll of honour for the Cameronians. https://archive.org/stream/regimentalrollof1920grea#page/68/mode/2up

Page 68 lists shows the entries for Hannan. It lists an E M Hannan, t/major died 13th October 1915. There is no additional information such as a service number or native town. There is also a Lt Col H M and a Captain W D listed, both native of Glasgow but no G M Hannan.

At this point I am not 100% sure what to do next. I dont know if the memorial is incorrect, or somehow a mix up has happened or quite what could have happened here. Either way If anyone can help point me at next steps or shed some light I would be greatful. I feel like I really need to see this to the finish, and understand who this individual is.

Regards

Simon

[sotonmate]

Simon

Welcome to the Forum !

Your man has a service file at the National Archives,Kew. Ref WO339/9804. Not yet digital.

I have found an entry in Soldiers Died in the Great War showing 13.10.15 died which may suggest sickness as otherwise it would state KIA or Died of wounds.

A Wills section on Ancestry UK shows that he, George Madder HANNAN, died at The Green,Bearsted,Kent on the same day as above,and was resident at 24 Abingdon Villas, Kensington,Middlesex. He left a widow,Mary.

Another item seen,for a man of the same name is a Mate's Certificate dated 30.9.1885,and also stating that he was born in Dublin in 1861. Is this the same man ?

The Major is shown as with 9 Battalion Scottish Rifles (Cameronians). That unit sailed for France on 12 May 1915 as part of 28 Brigade of 9 Division. The Major's Medal Index Card is bereft of any medal issues,for 1915 arrival in a war zone he would have been able to claim three campaign medals but none are listed. Normally an Officer,or his family, has to make application,and this will be noted on the card,but no such notes are present.This puts any presence in a war zone in doubt,but which might be resolved by reference to his service file.It just may be that he wasn't able to move to France for personal fitness reasons,and died before he could.

[johnboy]

www.london-gazette.co.uk%2Fissues%2F28177%2Fpages%2F6686%2Fpage.pdf&ei=6_nPUv_vJ8_Q7AaqmYCAAg&usg=AFQjCNHqPuP19XTtIRI_NALo6n8_v22Btg

Shows him as a Captain in 1908

[Michelle Young]

There won't be a service number, as he was an officer. Was The Green a hospital in WW1?

Michelle

[slr20]

Thanks all

as far as i can tell the green wasnt listed as a hospital. its possible though that it aws used to hold field tents but there arent records as such.

So, does it look like this is indeed the major? If so does it explain why there isnt a G M Hannan listed in the roll of honour? or is this is reserved purely for those who died in active combat duty?

[johnboy]

Could he have been in hospital in Maidstone and then gone to a private convalescent home?

[slr20]

Its possible. I cannot find any record of convalescent homes here in bearsted but then that might require a trip to the local library. There are many listed cottages around the edge of the green, and holy cross church further down a back road.

[johnboy]

Local newspapers may have a report, poss library. Copy of death certificate?

[Guest cmh30]

Hello Simon

Thank you for posting this. I can give you some information about Major George Madder Hannan, who was my husband's great great uncle, ie the brother of his gggrandfather. We have no inside family information about him, only what we have found out ourselves.

George Madder Hannan was born in Castle Street Dublin on 29 January 1861, the youngest chid of Benjamin Blomfield Hannan, chief cashier at LaTouches Bank, and his wife Grace Elizabeth nee Ingram. His mother died in May 1863. His father married again a few years later.

In 1871 he was a scholar living in London with an apparently unrelated family, and in 1885 obtained, as mentioned here, his second mates certificate. In 1896 he was resident in New Zealand as a master mariner, but in 1898 married Mary Carlisle in St Judes, Kensington. Their only child, Grace Carlisle, was born in 1900 in Chelsea. At her baptism her father was a Captain in the 4th Cheshire Regiment. I cannot find George Madder Hannan on the 1901 census but his wife and child were in London. Was he serving abroad? On the 1911 census he was back in London with his family, occupation Army Major, Special reserve officer.

The entry that you found for E M Hannan on the Regimental Roll of honour is certainly him, I would say, with a mistype for his initial and a confusion over his place of death.

Thank you to everyone for the additional information you have found, if I find out any more I will post it on this site. As it happens we live a few miles from Bearsted so we will come to see the memorial.

Caroline Hannan