LIEUT.-COLONEL HANNAH.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 34, 18 November 1893, Page 6

LIEUT.-COLONEL HANNAH.

Lieut.-Colonel Hannah’s connection with the Volunteer Force dates back for a long period—from, in fact, the inception of the movement in Britain. In October, 1859, he became a member of the 3rd Lanark Artillery, a Glasgow corps, in which be served until the latter part of 1863, and was present at the review of volunteers by the Queen at Edinburgh in 1860—22,000 being then accounted for, coming from all parts of Scotland. He also took part in various gatherings and sham fights at Glasgow and neighbourhood during the period of his service.

Leaving the Old Country for New Zealand, lie arrived in Dunedin in July, 1864, and Joined the Dunedin Artillery in October of the same year, was lieutenant in 1865, and continued his connection with that corps as far as business engagements would permit, until 1870, when he came to Invercargill. At that time there was only one corps here—the Eifle Company. He and the late Mr John Dalgliesh (who had been a member of the Dunedin Artillery with him) thought there was ample room for an Artillery corps here. A canvass for recruits was made, and meetings held. The numbers offering exceeded expectations, and the difficulty at that time was to get the Government to accept their services; but, nothing daunted, they continued to meet and drill, and, eventually, were gazetted in January, 1872, as the Invercargill Artillery Volunteers, Mr J. Dalgliesh being appointed captain, Mr Hannah lieutenant, and Mr W. Henderson second lieutenant. In 1874 Mr Hannah was, on the resignation of Mr Dalgliesh, elected captain, and in 1877 was promoted to the rank of major, with command of the district. This command owing to important business engagements’, he found it necessary .about a year afterwards to resign, but continued his connection with the volunteers more or less intimately up to the early part of 1889, when he was again appointed to the command of the district under his former commission as major. He continues to hold the command, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel in October of this year. He is a thorough volunteer, takes a great interest in the Force, and well deserves his elevation to the position he now holds.