Colin Hannah
Encyclopedia
Air Marshal
Sir Colin Thomas Hannah KCMG, KCVO, KBE, CB (22 December 191422 May 1978) was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF) and a Governor of Queensland. Born in Western Australia
, he was a member of the Militia
before joining the RAAF in 1935. After graduating as a pilot, Hannah served in Nos. 22
and 23 Squadrons
from 1936 to 1939. During the early years of World War II, he was the RAAF's Deputy Director of Armament. He then saw action in the South West Pacific
as commander of No. 6 Squadron
and, later, No. 71 Wing
, operating Bristol Beaufort
bombers. By 1944 he had risen to the rank of group captain
, and at the end of the war was leading Western Area Command in Perth
.
Hannah was Senior Air Staff Officer at RAF Far East Air Force Headquarters, Singapore, during the Malayan Emergency
in the 1950s. His other post-war appointments included Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
from 1961 to 1965, Air Officer Commanding
(AOC) Operational Command (later Air Command
) from 1965 to 1967, and AOC Support Command from 1967 to 1969. In January 1970 he was promoted to air marshal and became Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), the RAAF's senior position. Knighted in 1971, Hannah concluded his three-year appointment as CAS a year early, in 1972, to become Governor of Queensland. He attracted controversy in this role after making outspoken comments regarding the Federal government of the day. Hannah retired in 1977, and died the following year.
, Western Australia, Hannah was the son of Thomas Howard Hannah, a public servant
who later became a magistrate
in Perth
, and his wife Johanna. Hannah attended the Hale School
, leaving with a Junior Certificate in 1930. He served with a Militia
unit, the 8th Field Artillery Brigade, from February 1933, and became a clerk in the Crown Law Department of the State Public Service later that year.
Hannah joined the Royal Australian Air Force
on 15 January 1935 as an air cadet at RAAF Station Point Cook, Victoria. After graduating from No. 1 Flying Training School
(No. 1 FTS), he obtained his commission as a pilot officer
in July 1936. His first posting was to No. 22 Squadron
at RAAF Station Richmond
, New South Wales. Promoted to flying officer
, he was appointed adjutant
with the newly formed No. 23 Squadron
at RAAF Station Laverton, Victoria, in May 1937. Hannah accompanied the squadron, which operated Hawker Demons and Avro Anson
s, to its new location at the recently opened RAAF Station Pearce
, Western Australia, in March 1938. On 5 January 1939, he married Patricia Gordon at Claremont
; the couple had a daughter. Having specialised as an instructor, he then served on the staff of No. 1 FTS, Point Cook.
Promoted to flight lieutenant
, Hannah was posted to Britain in July 1939 to undertake a Royal Air Force
armaments training course, which he had barely begun when war was declared on 3 September. He completed the course, and returned to Australia in March 1940. After brief postings to No. 1 Armament School, Point Cook, and Station Headquarters Laverton, he was assigned to Air Force Headquarters, Melbourne, in May. He was made an acting squadron leader
in September 1940 and became Deputy Director of Armament the next year. In April 1942, Hannah was promoted to temporary wing commander
. He undertook a general reconnaissance course the following May.
In November 1943, Hannah was given command of No. 6 Squadron
at Milne Bay
, Papua, flying Bristol Beaufort
light bombers. While on a familiarisation flight he came under friendly fire
from anti-aircraft guns
on Kiriwina Island
, but managed to avoid serious injury. He was raised to temporary group captain
in December, and took charge of No. 71 Wing
the following month. Throughout Hannah's time in Papua, his Beauforts in No. 6 Squadron and No. 71 Wing participated in a series of major attacks on Rabaul, bombing and strafing airfields, infrastructure and shipping; this continued until February 1944, when the Japanese withdrew their aircraft from Rabaul. The same month, however, Hannah fell ill and had to be repatriated to Australia. After six weeks recuperation at Laverton, he returned to No. 6 Squadron, based on Goodenough Island
. He was appointed Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) at Headquarters Western Area Command, Perth, in September 1944, and assumed control of the formation from June 1945 to May 1946.
, and serving as SASO at RAAF Overseas Headquarters
in London. Returning to Australia, in May 1949 he assumed command of RAAF Station Amberley
, Queensland. From August 1950 he also held temporary command of the base's Avro Lincoln
heavy bomber formation, No. 82 Wing
. Promoted to substantive group captain in October 1950, Hannah was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1951 New Year Honours. In September that year he was made Director of Personnel Services, which became Director-General of Personnel in July 1952. As aide-de-camp
to Queen Elizabeth II
, Hannah was heavily involved in planning the RAAF's part in the 1954 Royal Tour of Australia. He was raised to Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queen's Birthday Honours
that June.
In 1955, Hannah attended the Imperial Defence College
in London, and was promoted air commodore
. He was posted to Singapore
as SASO, RAF Far East Air Force Headquarters, in January 1956, handling counter-insurgency
operations during the Malayan Emergency
. Hannah's "distinguished service" during the conflict was recognised with his appointment as a Companion of the Order of the Bath
(CB) in June 1959. As Director-General of Plans and Policy from March 1959, he was responsible for commencing transfer of the Department of Air from Melbourne
to Canberra
. In December 1961, Hannah was appointed Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
, gaining promotion to acting air vice marshal in May 1962; the rank was made substantive in January 1963. He was later described by his staff officer in this role as "brusque" and "impersonal" though not unsympathetic, his "uncommunicative" manner stemming from a preference to "do his own research, think out the substance of his project submissions, dictate to his stenographer, then amend to his own satisfaction", rather than delegate. Hannah served as Air Officer Commanding
(AOC) Operational Command (now Air Command
) from February 1965 to December 1967, during which time the RAAF's fighter squadrons completed their conversion from the CAC Sabre
to the supersonic Dassault Mirage III
. He then became AOC Support Command, responsible for training and maintenance in the Air Force. Throughout his career to this point he was noted for his energy and drive.
Hannah was promoted to air marshal
on 1 January 1970, succeeding Air Marshal Sir Alister Murdoch
as Chief of the Air Staff. Murdoch had earlier recommended Hannah, known to be a strong advocate for Australian participation in the Vietnam War
, for the position of Commander Australian Forces Vietnam when it came up for rotation at the end of 1969. In the event, the post again went to an Army
officer, and the Federal government ordered the withdrawal of the RAAF presence in Vietnam during Hannah's tour as CAS. In March 1970, the Minister for Defence
, Malcolm Fraser
, commissioned a review of naval air power. Hannah fundamentally disagreed with any suggestion that the Royal Australian Navy
should operate land-based aircraft, claiming that he was arguing not from a partisan perspective but to ensure that Australia's limited defence resources were not spread across three services. However, confidential RAAF papers from the time declared that its goal was always to "avoid giving the Navy the opportunity to establish a land-based air force". Two years later, Hannah responded favourably to a recommendation from the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee
, Admiral Sir Victor Smith
, to use the soon-to-be-delivered F-111 bomber
for maritime support, among other roles.
In the 1971 New Year Honours, Hannah was raised to Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE). His tour as CAS coincided with the RAAF's Golden Jubilee
, celebrated in March and April that year. He personally organised a fly-past of two US Air Force
F-111s at air show
s marking the occasion, generating favourable coverage to counteract the poor publicity surrounding the type's long-delayed entry into Australian service. However, he was also involved in two controversial decisions the same year. Firstly, he was a member of the committee to choose an Air Force memorial to be located on ANZAC Parade
, Canberra. The selected design was an abstract sculpture that, according to official RAAF historian Alan Stephens, reflected "the selection panel's comprehensive failure to understand the nature of air force service". Secondly, Hannah commissioned a replacement for the Air Force's winter uniform, traditionally a shade "somewhere between royal and navy blue" that had been chosen personally by the RAAF's first CAS, Wing Commander (later Air Marshal Sir) Richard Williams, to distinguish it from the lighter Royal Air Force colour. The uniform approved by Hannah, an all-purpose middle-blue suit, was the object of numerous complaints in the ensuing years, and reverted to Williams' original colour and design in 2000.
. While he claimed not to have actively sought the governorship, Hannah was criticised for failing to consult with senior colleagues before making his decision to retire early from his position as head of the Air Force. He was replaced as CAS by his deputy, Air Vice Marshal (later Air Marshal Sir) Charles Read
.
Described as "a man with the flexibility of mind and ability to mix with people, so necessary for a Governor", Hannah was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in September 1972. The same year, he was made a Knight and Deputy Prior of the Venerable Order of Saint John
. His term in office was relatively uneventful until October 1975, when he created controversy at a Brisbane Chamber of Commerce luncheon by criticising the "fumbling ineptitude" of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam
's Federal Labor
government for placing Australia in "its present economic state". In response, the Federal government advised the Queen to revoke Hannah's dormant commission
to serve in place of the Governor-General
if the latter was absent. Following his succession as Prime Minister in November 1975, Malcolm Fraser attempted to have the dormant commission reinstated, but the British government refused to recommend this to the Queen, citing lack of impartiality on Hannah's part. Queensland Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen
made it known that he planned to extend the Governor's term, but the British government also refused to agree to this. While Bjelke-Peterson was prepared to pursue the matter, Hannah declined to let his name be put forward again, and his tenure lapsed on 20 March 1977. He was succeeded by Sir James Ramsay
.
visit to Australia. Hannah died of a heart attack
on 22 May 1978 at his home in Surfers Paradise
, Queensland. He was given a state funeral and cremated. His wife and daughter survived him. Hannah Community Park, straddling the suburbs of Fadden
and Gowrie
in Canberra, was established in his honour in 2002.
Air Marshal (Australia)
Air marshal is the second highest active rank of the Royal Australian Air Force and was created as a direct equivalent of the British Royal Air Force rank of air marshal, it is also considered a three-star rank...
Sir Colin Thomas Hannah KCMG, KCVO, KBE, CB (22 December 191422 May 1978) was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
(RAAF) and a Governor of Queensland. Born in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, he was a member of the Militia
Australian Army Reserve
The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen Military Forces, the Militia and, unofficially, the...
before joining the RAAF in 1935. After graduating as a pilot, Hannah served in Nos. 22
No. 22 Squadron RAAF
No. 22 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force mixed regular and reserve squadron that provides support for the RAAF in the Sydney region. Formed in 1936, the squadron served in Papua New Guinea during the Second World War, and later followed the Pacific war as far as the Philippines...
and 23 Squadrons
No. 23 Squadron RAAF
No. 23 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force is a non-flying base operations and training squadron headquartered at RAAF Base Amberley near Brisbane, Queensland. The Squadron was formed in 1937 and saw action during World War II as a bomber squadron.-History:No...
from 1936 to 1939. During the early years of World War II, he was the RAAF's Deputy Director of Armament. He then saw action in the South West Pacific
South West Pacific theatre of World War II
The South West Pacific Theatre, technically the South West Pacific Area, between 1942 and 1945, was one of two designated area commands and war theatres enumerated by the Combined Chiefs of Staff of World War II in the Pacific region....
as commander of No. 6 Squadron
No. 6 Squadron RAAF
No. 6 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force training and bomber squadron. The squadron was first formed in 1917 and served as a training unit based in England during World War I. It was disbanded in 1919 but re-formed at the start of 1939...
and, later, No. 71 Wing
No. 71 Wing RAAF
No. 71 Wing was a Royal Australian Air Force wing of World War II. It was formed in February 1943 at Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea, as part of No. 9 Operational Group. The wing initially comprised two squadrons of P-40 Kittyhawks, one of Lockheed Hudsons, and one of Bristol Beauforts...
, operating Bristol Beaufort
Bristol Beaufort
The Bristol Beaufort was a British twin-engined torpedo bomber designed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, and developed from experience gained designing and building the earlier Blenheim light bomber....
bombers. By 1944 he had risen to the rank of group captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
, and at the end of the war was leading Western Area Command in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
.
Hannah was Senior Air Staff Officer at RAF Far East Air Force Headquarters, Singapore, during the Malayan Emergency
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
in the 1950s. His other post-war appointments included Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
Deputy Chief of Air Force (Australia)
Deputy Chief of Air Force is the second most senior appointment in the Royal Australian Air Force, responsible to the Chief of Air Force . The rank associated with the position is Air Vice Marshal . DCAF acts as the manager of the Air Force Headquarters , which provides oversight of activities in...
from 1961 to 1965, Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding is a title given in the air forces of Commonwealth nations to an air officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, an air vice marshal might be the AOC 38 Group...
(AOC) Operational Command (later Air Command
RAAF Air Command
Air Command is the operational arm of the Royal Australian Air Force . It is headed by the Air Commander Australia, whose role is to manage and command the RAAF's Force Element Groups , which contain the operational capability of the Air Force...
) from 1965 to 1967, and AOC Support Command from 1967 to 1969. In January 1970 he was promoted to air marshal and became Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), the RAAF's senior position. Knighted in 1971, Hannah concluded his three-year appointment as CAS a year early, in 1972, to become Governor of Queensland. He attracted controversy in this role after making outspoken comments regarding the Federal government of the day. Hannah retired in 1977, and died the following year.
Early career
Born on 22 December 1914 in MenziesMenzies, Western Australia
Menzies is a town located in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia, east-northeast of the state capital, Perth, and north-northwest of the city of Kalgoorlie...
, Western Australia, Hannah was the son of Thomas Howard Hannah, a public servant
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
who later became a magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, and his wife Johanna. Hannah attended the Hale School
Hale School
Hale School is a selective, independent, Anglican day and boarding school for boys, located in Wembley Downs, a coastal suburb of Perth, Western Australia....
, leaving with a Junior Certificate in 1930. He served with a Militia
Australian Army Reserve
The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen Military Forces, the Militia and, unofficially, the...
unit, the 8th Field Artillery Brigade, from February 1933, and became a clerk in the Crown Law Department of the State Public Service later that year.
Hannah joined the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
on 15 January 1935 as an air cadet at RAAF Station Point Cook, Victoria. After graduating from No. 1 Flying Training School
No. 1 Flying Training School RAAF
No. 1 Flying Training School was a flying training school of the Royal Australian Air Force . It was one of the Air Force's original units, dating back to the service's formation in 1921, when it was based at RAAF Point Cook, Victoria. The school underwent a number of reorganisations during its...
(No. 1 FTS), he obtained his commission as a pilot officer
Pilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
in July 1936. His first posting was to No. 22 Squadron
No. 22 Squadron RAAF
No. 22 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force mixed regular and reserve squadron that provides support for the RAAF in the Sydney region. Formed in 1936, the squadron served in Papua New Guinea during the Second World War, and later followed the Pacific war as far as the Philippines...
at RAAF Station Richmond
RAAF Base Richmond
RAAF Base Richmond is one of Australia's oldest and largest air force bases. It is located within the City of Hawkesbury in the north-western fringe of Sydney, New South Wales, between the towns of Windsor and Richmond. The base is home to the Royal Australian Air Force's transport headquarters,...
, New South Wales. Promoted to flying officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
, he was appointed adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
with the newly formed No. 23 Squadron
No. 23 Squadron RAAF
No. 23 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force is a non-flying base operations and training squadron headquartered at RAAF Base Amberley near Brisbane, Queensland. The Squadron was formed in 1937 and saw action during World War II as a bomber squadron.-History:No...
at RAAF Station Laverton, Victoria, in May 1937. Hannah accompanied the squadron, which operated Hawker Demons and Avro Anson
Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
s, to its new location at the recently opened RAAF Station Pearce
RAAF Base Pearce
RAAF Base Pearce is the main RAAF base in Western Australia. The base is located in Bullsbrook, north of Perth. It is used for training by the Royal Australian Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Air Force...
, Western Australia, in March 1938. On 5 January 1939, he married Patricia Gordon at Claremont
Claremont, Western Australia
Claremont is a western suburb of Perth, Western Australia on the north bank of the Swan River.-History:Prior to European settlement, the Noongar people used the area as a source of water, for fishing and for catching waterfowl. In 1830, John Butler, a settler, set up an inn at Freshwater Bay to...
; the couple had a daughter. Having specialised as an instructor, he then served on the staff of No. 1 FTS, Point Cook.
World War II
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
, Hannah was posted to Britain in July 1939 to undertake a Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
armaments training course, which he had barely begun when war was declared on 3 September. He completed the course, and returned to Australia in March 1940. After brief postings to No. 1 Armament School, Point Cook, and Station Headquarters Laverton, he was assigned to Air Force Headquarters, Melbourne, in May. He was made an acting squadron leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
in September 1940 and became Deputy Director of Armament the next year. In April 1942, Hannah was promoted to temporary wing commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
. He undertook a general reconnaissance course the following May.
In November 1943, Hannah was given command of No. 6 Squadron
No. 6 Squadron RAAF
No. 6 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force training and bomber squadron. The squadron was first formed in 1917 and served as a training unit based in England during World War I. It was disbanded in 1919 but re-formed at the start of 1939...
at Milne Bay
Milne Bay
Milne Bay is a large bay in Milne Bay Province, southeastern Papua New Guinea. The bay is named after Sir Alexander Milne.The area was a site of the Battle of Milne Bay in 1942....
, Papua, flying Bristol Beaufort
Bristol Beaufort
The Bristol Beaufort was a British twin-engined torpedo bomber designed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, and developed from experience gained designing and building the earlier Blenheim light bomber....
light bombers. While on a familiarisation flight he came under friendly fire
Friendly fire
Friendly fire is inadvertent firing towards one's own or otherwise friendly forces while attempting to engage enemy forces, particularly where this results in injury or death. A death resulting from a negligent discharge is not considered friendly fire...
from anti-aircraft guns
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
on Kiriwina Island
Kiriwina
Kiriwina is the largest of the Trobriand Islands, with an area of 290.5 km². It is part of the Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea. Most of the 12,000 people who live in the Trobriands live on Kiriwina. The Kilivila language, also known as Kiriwina, is spoken on the island...
, but managed to avoid serious injury. He was raised to temporary group captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
in December, and took charge of No. 71 Wing
No. 71 Wing RAAF
No. 71 Wing was a Royal Australian Air Force wing of World War II. It was formed in February 1943 at Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea, as part of No. 9 Operational Group. The wing initially comprised two squadrons of P-40 Kittyhawks, one of Lockheed Hudsons, and one of Bristol Beauforts...
the following month. Throughout Hannah's time in Papua, his Beauforts in No. 6 Squadron and No. 71 Wing participated in a series of major attacks on Rabaul, bombing and strafing airfields, infrastructure and shipping; this continued until February 1944, when the Japanese withdrew their aircraft from Rabaul. The same month, however, Hannah fell ill and had to be repatriated to Australia. After six weeks recuperation at Laverton, he returned to No. 6 Squadron, based on Goodenough Island
Goodenough Island
Goodenough Island in the Solomon Sea is the westernmost of the three large islands of the D'Entrecasteaux Islands in Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea. It lies to the east of mainland New Guinea and south west of the Trobriand Islands.It should not be confused with Goodenough's Island...
. He was appointed Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) at Headquarters Western Area Command, Perth, in September 1944, and assumed control of the formation from June 1945 to May 1946.
Post-war RAAF career
Hannah was posted to Britain in 1947, undertaking study at RAF Staff College, AndoverRAF Staff College, Andover
The RAF Staff College at RAF Andover was the first Royal Air Force staff college to be established. Its role was the training of officers in the administrative, staff and policy apects of air force matters.-Foundation:...
, and serving as SASO at RAAF Overseas Headquarters
RAAF Overseas Headquarters
RAAF Overseas Headquarters was a Royal Australian Air Force administrative unit located in London. It was formed on 1 December 1941 to oversee the welfare of RAAF personnel posted to Royal Air Force units as well as the Australian squadrons which were planned to be formed as part of the RAF in...
in London. Returning to Australia, in May 1949 he assumed command of RAAF Station Amberley
RAAF Base Amberley
RAAF Base Amberley is a Royal Australian Air Force base located southwest of Ipswich, Queensland and southwest of Brisbane. It is currently home to No. 1 Squadron and No. 6 Squadron , No. 33 Squadron and No. 36 Squadron...
, Queensland. From August 1950 he also held temporary command of the base's Avro Lincoln
Avro Lincoln
The Avro Type 694, better known as the Avro Lincoln, was a British four-engined heavy bomber, which first flew on 9 June 1944. Developed from the Avro Lancaster, the first Lincoln variants were known initially as the Lancaster IV and V, but were renamed Lincoln I and II...
heavy bomber formation, No. 82 Wing
No. 82 Wing RAAF
No. 82 Wing is the Royal Australian Air Force's strike and reconnaissance wing. It is headquartered at RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland, and operates the F/A-18F Super Hornet multirole fighter and Pilatus PC-9 forward air control aircraft. The wing was formed in August 1944, flying B-24 Liberator...
. Promoted to substantive group captain in October 1950, Hannah was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1951 New Year Honours. In September that year he was made Director of Personnel Services, which became Director-General of Personnel in July 1952. As aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
, Hannah was heavily involved in planning the RAAF's part in the 1954 Royal Tour of Australia. He was raised to Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queen's Birthday Honours
Queen's Birthday Honours
The Queen's Birthday Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the celebration of the Queen's Official Birthday in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen...
that June.
In 1955, Hannah attended the Imperial Defence College
Royal College of Defence Studies
The Royal College of Defence Studies is an internationally-renowned institution and component of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom...
in London, and was promoted air commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
. He was posted to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
as SASO, RAF Far East Air Force Headquarters, in January 1956, handling counter-insurgency
Counter-insurgency
A counter-insurgency or counterinsurgency involves actions taken by the recognized government of a nation to contain or quell an insurgency taken up against it...
operations during the Malayan Emergency
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
. Hannah's "distinguished service" during the conflict was recognised with his appointment as a Companion of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(CB) in June 1959. As Director-General of Plans and Policy from March 1959, he was responsible for commencing transfer of the Department of Air from Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
to Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
. In December 1961, Hannah was appointed Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
Deputy Chief of Air Force (Australia)
Deputy Chief of Air Force is the second most senior appointment in the Royal Australian Air Force, responsible to the Chief of Air Force . The rank associated with the position is Air Vice Marshal . DCAF acts as the manager of the Air Force Headquarters , which provides oversight of activities in...
, gaining promotion to acting air vice marshal in May 1962; the rank was made substantive in January 1963. He was later described by his staff officer in this role as "brusque" and "impersonal" though not unsympathetic, his "uncommunicative" manner stemming from a preference to "do his own research, think out the substance of his project submissions, dictate to his stenographer, then amend to his own satisfaction", rather than delegate. Hannah served as Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding is a title given in the air forces of Commonwealth nations to an air officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, an air vice marshal might be the AOC 38 Group...
(AOC) Operational Command (now Air Command
RAAF Air Command
Air Command is the operational arm of the Royal Australian Air Force . It is headed by the Air Commander Australia, whose role is to manage and command the RAAF's Force Element Groups , which contain the operational capability of the Air Force...
) from February 1965 to December 1967, during which time the RAAF's fighter squadrons completed their conversion from the CAC Sabre
CAC Sabre
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Allward, Maurice. F-86 Sabre. London: Ian Allen, 1978. ISBN 0-71100-860-4.* Curtis, Duncan. North American F-86 Sabre. Ramsbury, UK: Crowood, 2000. ISBN 1-86126-358-9....
to the supersonic Dassault Mirage III
Dassault Mirage III
The Mirage III is a supersonic fighter aircraft designed by Dassault Aviation during the late 1950s, and manufactured both in France and a number of other countries. It was a successful fighter aircraft, being sold to many air forces around the world and remaining in production for over a decade...
. He then became AOC Support Command, responsible for training and maintenance in the Air Force. Throughout his career to this point he was noted for his energy and drive.
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
on 1 January 1970, succeeding Air Marshal Sir Alister Murdoch
Alister Murdoch
Air Marshal Sir Alister Murray Murdoch KBE, CB was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force . He served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1965 to 1969. Joining the Air Force in 1930, Murdoch trained as a seaplane pilot, and participated in an Antarctic rescue mission for lost explorers...
as Chief of the Air Staff. Murdoch had earlier recommended Hannah, known to be a strong advocate for Australian participation in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, for the position of Commander Australian Forces Vietnam when it came up for rotation at the end of 1969. In the event, the post again went to an Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
officer, and the Federal government ordered the withdrawal of the RAAF presence in Vietnam during Hannah's tour as CAS. In March 1970, the Minister for Defence
Minister for Defence (Australia)
The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Stephen Smith is the current Minister.-Ministers for Defence:...
, Malcolm Fraser
Malcolm Fraser
John Malcolm Fraser AC, CH, GCL, PC is a former Australian Liberal Party politician who was the 22nd Prime Minister of Australia. He came to power in the 1975 election following the dismissal of the Whitlam Labor government, in which he played a key role...
, commissioned a review of naval air power. Hannah fundamentally disagreed with any suggestion that the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
should operate land-based aircraft, claiming that he was arguing not from a partisan perspective but to ensure that Australia's limited defence resources were not spread across three services. However, confidential RAAF papers from the time declared that its goal was always to "avoid giving the Navy the opportunity to establish a land-based air force". Two years later, Hannah responded favourably to a recommendation from the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee
Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)
Chief of the Defence Force is the most senior appointment in the Australian Defence Force . The CDF commands the ADF under the direction of the Minister of Defence, in a coequal arrangement with the Secretary of Defence, the most senior public servant in the Department of Defence.The position is a...
, Admiral Sir Victor Smith
Victor Smith
Admiral Sir Victor Alfred Trumper Smith AC, KBE, CB, DSC, RAN was a senior officer within the Royal Australian Navy, eventually becoming the first Australian to achieve the rank of admiral and serving as Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee; the professional head of the Australian Military.-Early...
, to use the soon-to-be-delivered F-111 bomber
General Dynamics F-111C
The General Dynamics F-111C is a variant of the F-111 Aardvark medium-range interdictor and tactical strike aircraft, developed by General Dynamics to meet Australian requirements. The design was based on the F-111A model but included longer wings and strengthened undercarriage...
for maritime support, among other roles.
In the 1971 New Year Honours, Hannah was raised to Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE). His tour as CAS coincided with the RAAF's Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee
A Golden Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 50th anniversary.- In Thailand :King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, celebrated his Golden Jubilee on 9 June 1996.- In the Commonwealth Realms :...
, celebrated in March and April that year. He personally organised a fly-past of two US Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
F-111s at air show
Air show
An air show is an event at which aviators display their flying skills and the capabilities of their aircraft to spectators in aerobatics. Air shows without aerobatic displays, having only aircraft displayed parked on the ground, are called "static air shows"....
s marking the occasion, generating favourable coverage to counteract the poor publicity surrounding the type's long-delayed entry into Australian service. However, he was also involved in two controversial decisions the same year. Firstly, he was a member of the committee to choose an Air Force memorial to be located on ANZAC Parade
ANZAC Parade, Canberra
This article is about the road in Canberra. For other uses, see Anzac Parade .ANZAC Parade, a significant road and thoroughfare in the Australian capital Canberra, is used for ceremonial occasions and is the site of many major military memorials.Named in honour of the Australian and New Zealand...
, Canberra. The selected design was an abstract sculpture that, according to official RAAF historian Alan Stephens, reflected "the selection panel's comprehensive failure to understand the nature of air force service". Secondly, Hannah commissioned a replacement for the Air Force's winter uniform, traditionally a shade "somewhere between royal and navy blue" that had been chosen personally by the RAAF's first CAS, Wing Commander (later Air Marshal Sir) Richard Williams, to distinguish it from the lighter Royal Air Force colour. The uniform approved by Hannah, an all-purpose middle-blue suit, was the object of numerous complaints in the ensuing years, and reverted to Williams' original colour and design in 2000.
Governor
Hannah's planned three-year term as Chief of the Air Staff was cut short by some ten months when he accepted the Governorship of Queensland, becoming the first officer in the RAAF to receive a vice regal appointment. The announcement was made in January 1972, and he took office on 21 March. He succeeded Sir Alan MansfieldAlan Mansfield
Sir Alan James Mansfield KCMG, KCVO was Governor of Queensland, Australia between 1966 and 1972.-Family:Sir Alan Mansfield was born in Brisbane and educated in Sydney. The Mansfield family had land in Gumdale. Mansfield lived in the Mount Gravatt area for many years...
. While he claimed not to have actively sought the governorship, Hannah was criticised for failing to consult with senior colleagues before making his decision to retire early from his position as head of the Air Force. He was replaced as CAS by his deputy, Air Vice Marshal (later Air Marshal Sir) Charles Read
Charles Read (RAAF officer)
Air Marshal Sir Charles Frederick Read KBE, CB, DFC, AFC is a retired senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force . He served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1972 to 1975. Born in Sydney, Read joined the RAAF in 1937, and began his career flying biplane fighters. As a Beaufighter pilot, he...
.
Described as "a man with the flexibility of mind and ability to mix with people, so necessary for a Governor", Hannah was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in September 1972. The same year, he was made a Knight and Deputy Prior of the Venerable Order of Saint John
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
. His term in office was relatively uneventful until October 1975, when he created controversy at a Brisbane Chamber of Commerce luncheon by criticising the "fumbling ineptitude" of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam
Gough Whitlam
Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC , known as Gough Whitlam , served as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia. Whitlam led the Australian Labor Party to power at the 1972 election and retained government at the 1974 election, before being dismissed by Governor-General Sir John Kerr at the climax of the...
's Federal Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
government for placing Australia in "its present economic state". In response, the Federal government advised the Queen to revoke Hannah's dormant commission
Dormant commission
A dormant commission is a commission which lies dormant or sleeping until it is triggered by a particular event. The concept appears in the constitutional affairs of Commonwealth realm nations....
to serve in place of the Governor-General
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
if the latter was absent. Following his succession as Prime Minister in November 1975, Malcolm Fraser attempted to have the dormant commission reinstated, but the British government refused to recommend this to the Queen, citing lack of impartiality on Hannah's part. Queensland Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Sir Johannes "Joh" Bjelke-Petersen, KCMG , was an Australian politician. He was the longest-serving and longest-lived Premier of Queensland, holding office from 1968 to 1987, a period that saw considerable economic development in the state...
made it known that he planned to extend the Governor's term, but the British government also refused to agree to this. While Bjelke-Peterson was prepared to pursue the matter, Hannah declined to let his name be put forward again, and his tenure lapsed on 20 March 1977. He was succeeded by Sir James Ramsay
James Ramsay (Australian governor)
Commodore Sir James Maxwell Ramsay KCMG, KCVO, CBE, DSC .Served as Governor of Queensland, Australia from 22 April 1977 until 21 July 1985...
.
Retirement and death
Hannah retired following completion of his term as Governor of Queensland. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in August 1977 (backdated to March) as part of Queen Elizabeth II's Silver JubileeSilver Jubilee
A Silver Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 25th anniversary. The anniversary celebrations can be of a wedding anniversary, ruling anniversary or anything that has completed a 25 year mark...
visit to Australia. Hannah died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
on 22 May 1978 at his home in Surfers Paradise
Surfers Paradise, Queensland
Surfers Paradise is a suburb on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 Census, Surfers Paradise had a population of 18,501....
, Queensland. He was given a state funeral and cremated. His wife and daughter survived him. Hannah Community Park, straddling the suburbs of Fadden
Fadden, Australian Capital Territory
Fadden is a suburb in the Canberra, Australia district of Tuggeranong. The postcode is 2904. The suburb is named after Sir Arthur Fadden, Prime Minister of Australia briefly in 1941. It was gazetted on 5 August 1975. Its streets are named after Queensland politicians...
and Gowrie
Gowrie, Australian Capital Territory
Gowrie is a suburb of Canberra, Australia, located in the northern end of the Tuggeranong Valley. Tuggeranong suburbs are the southernmost of Australia's capital city...
in Canberra, was established in his honour in 2002.
External links
- The Hon Michael McHugh ACMichael McHughMichael Hudson McHugh, AC, QC is a former justice of the High Court of Australia; the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy.-Judicial Activity:...
, Foreword to Anne Twomey, The Chameleon Crown