Hann, Robert Gordon
285 Private Robert Gordon Hann - 10th Light Horse Regiment & 4th Division Ammunition Column
Robert Gordon Hann was born in Shepherds Bush London England in 1895 to Hugh and Annie Hann. He had a brother Hugh born in 1891 and George in 1899.
In 1901 the family were living in Wales after which they moved to Western Australia.
Robert and Hugh came to WA with the prospect of taking up farming.
In 1911 his father took up the position of Superintendent of Fremantle Prison. The family lived at 10 The Terrace Fremantle.
When Robert enlisted on the 4th December 1914 he stated he had seen previous military service with the remount section of the Australian Medical Corps of the Citizens Military Forces.
He was accepted as fit for service, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 8 & 1/2 inches tall;
Weight - 140lbs;
Chest Measurement - 33-34 inches;
Complexion - Dark;
Eyes - Grey;
Hair - Dark;
Distinctive marks - Scar about 4 inches in diameter on back and middle of right thigh.
Upon his successful enlistment Robert was assigned to the 10th Light Horse Regiment and on the 21st December 1914 at Claremont Camp, Colonel Noel Brazier assigned him to "B" Squadron. He was given the Regimental Number 285.
The 10th Light Horse trained for several weeks in WA at Claremont, Fremantle and Rockingham.
On the 8th February 1915 B Squadron of the 10th Light Horse embarked from Fremantle on the “Mashobra”. The 10th Light Horse had to embark on two ships at different times from Fremantle so they arrived in Egypt separately. After the 10th arrived in Egypt the men would have noticed that the infantry soon began to depart, firstly the Third Brigade, and then the 1st & 2nd Brigades, followed by the 4th Brigade and New Zealanders.
Rumours swept the camps as to where they were going but it wasn’t until late April that news came about the landing at Gallipoli. At first the Light Horse were not going to be called to assist as the terrain at Gallipoli was not conducive for the horses. However with the infantry having sustained large casualties and a stalemate developing it was decided to send the Light Horse to Gallipoli dismounted.
The 10th left Egypt on the 16th May & arrived at Gallipoli on the 19th/20th May 1915 just in time to see the results of the Turkish attack. The 3rd Light Horse Brigade would be sent to the most dangerous position at Anzac, at Quinn’s Post, the Nek, Russell’s Top and the northern outposts. The 10th would spend time at all these positions and casualties occurred at a steady stream.
Robert had been there barely two weeks, when, on the 31st May 1915 a Turkish shell exploded close by, shrapnel from which struck him in the face, injuring his eye. He was taken to the 3rd Light Horse Field Ambulance where he was patched up and then sent to the hospital ship.
Robert was then transported back to Egypt, where upon arrival he was sent to the 1st Australian General Hospital at Heliopolis. He was a patient here till the 27th October 1915, having undergone several operations. They saved the eye but Robert would suffer from defective vision.
It seems Robert spent a few months in the Convalescent Camp as he only was released to go back to service on the 3rd March 1916. He did not rejoin the 10th light Horse Regiment, instead being sent to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade Training Regiment.
He spent a few weeks with this unit but with the expansion of the AIF there were many units looking for reinforcements and Robert decided to transfer to the Australian Artillery. On the 1st April 1916 he was taken on strength of the 4th Australian Division Artillery at Heliopolis. Six days later on the 7th April 1916 he was transferred to the 4th Australian Division Ammunition Column. He was given the position of Driver and served with them for the next month but on the 17th May 1916 Robert was sent back to hospital with eye issues. He was sent to the 3rd Australian General Hospital in Cairo.
Robert's eye injury meant that he could not return to his unit and he was recommended for return to Australia. On the 10th July 1916 Robert boarded the hospital transport ship Clan McGillvray in Suez and set sail for Australia, reaching Fremantle on the 14th August 1916.
Upon his return he went to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle for more medical treatment.
Robert was discharged from the AIF on the 5th November 1916. He was then granted a military pension of 30/- per fortnight. On the 10th May 1917 this was reduced to 15/- per fortnight. In January 1918 it was again increased to 30/- per fortnight.
He went to reside for a time with his father at The Terrace Fremantle. It may have been due to his father being the Fremantle Prison superintendent but Robert enlisted for home service in January 1917 and served as a Corporal at the Fremantle Military Detention Barracks which were also located at Fremantle Prison. He was promoted to Sergeant on the 23rd February 1918 and in June was transferred for service to the Instructional Staff.
He was released from home service later in 1918.
Robert had married in Fremantle in 1917 to Marion Anne Osborne Howard. As reported in the West Australian on the 30th may 1917;
His father Hugh died in Busselton in 1925 and he and Marion remained here through to the 1930's. They then moved back to Perth and took up residence at Railway parade Maylands. Robert was now working as a health inspector. They would them move to Bassendean in 1940.
Sadly Robert's wife Marion died in 1942 and in 1943 he married Pearl Ridley and they would live at Victoria Park.
When Robert retired in the last 1950's they moved to Sleat Rd in Mt Pleasant.
In 1967 from his house in Sleat Road Mt Pleasant Robert wrote to the authorities to claim his Gallipoli medallion.
In 1972 they moved to Nedlands.
Robert died on the 10th September 1979 aged 84. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.