William Lee Hankey

[Captain RHW]

William Lee Hankey was a distinguished artist who joined the Artists’ Rifles, and served with them from 1915 to 1918.  He did some arresting work on Etaples before signing up. Any help with his time in service much appreciated. His bio's seem to skip over his time. 

[charlie962]

Starting with artists Roll:               

                                                          

          

[charlie962]

MIC on ancestry available here

 

France 14/2/15.  14/15 Star, BWM, VM

 

Charlie

 

edit MIC says  Pte 2909 although  Artists Roll above says 2621

Edited 22 December , 2017 by charlie962

[charlie962]

He seems to have been in France Feb-Jun 1915 before being commissioned. In 1916 he was teaching Field sketching on Hamstead Heath.

 

 

                                 

 

With acknowledgements to Findmypast Newspaper Archive.

 

Can't spot his Officer Service file at NA ?

 

Charlie

[charlie962]

IWM have a good portrait photo of him as 2ndLt here

[Captain RHW]

Superb, many thanks. 

 

According to the bio of Lance Thackeray, another whom I’m researching at the moment, Thackeray served under the command of Lee Hankey at the Officers Training Camp at Hare Hall in Essex at the end of December 1915. Wilfred Owen was there Oct 15- Jun 16.  

[charlie962]

As I understand it the 1st Bn Artists were never in the front line 1914/15 as a unit. They were at Bailleul Oct 1914 then moved to St Omer from Apr 1915. They provided 2Lts to make up the depleted BEF units, the first 50  being given instant commissions from the ranks of the Artists in late 1914, the subsequent being trained in house  at the Officers School they set up. Part of this training will have involved a spell or two in the front line,  maybe as little as 48 hours? The 1st Bn were also  GHQ Troops at St Omer. They also produced instructors for MachineGun Schools,  etc. Quite a varied support roll.

 

After commissioning I am presuming Lee Hankey remained in the Artists in the UK as an instructor where the 15th OCB was the Officers School of Instruction set up on the same lines as the one in France.

 

Whilst Bailleul and St Omer were within artillery long range I don't think Lee Hankey had any significant frontline experience to write up? But I may be wrong?

 

Edited 22 December , 2017 by charlie962

[Captain RHW]

Thanks again. He was born in 1869 so presumably too old for front line service. I will try and look a bit more in the am and revert. 

[charlie962]

A couple of LG entries: 

 

 

14/1/1918                     19/3/1919

[Captain RHW]

According to Tom Askey, Lance Thackery: His Life and Art (ShieldCrest, 2016), Thackeray served under Lee-Hankey at the OTC at Hare Hall near Romford in Essex end/1915 - 1916 until Thackeray was sent to hospital and later invalided out (died August 1916 of illness).  It seems unlikely that Lee-Hankey would have been sent to the front later in the war, given his age and the fact his skills were being put to use in training? 

 

 

 

[charlie962]

The LG dates of his acting Captaincy show he was at OCB Nov 1917-Jan 1919 for sure.