Hanlin, Reginald Alan
Lieutenant Reginald Alan Hanlin - 28th Battalion AIF
Reginald Alan Hanlin was born in Fremantle WA on the 14th March 1895 to Robert and Emily Hanlin. He was one of five Hanlin siblings, with, John 1889, Emily 1890, Robert 1892 and Hugh 1897.
It was their Mother Emily's second Marriage, her first husband having died at sea. She was a member of the well known Fremantle Manning family.
Their father Robert was a Clergyman for the Presbyterian Church and the family initially lived at Burdop Cottage Fremantle at 83 Cantonment Street. In the 1900's they were living at 349 High Street from 1903-1906 (now 247 High Street) and then at 338 High Street (now 186 High Street) in 1907 before taking up residence at 83 Victoria Road Fremantle. (later renamed to Queen Victoria Street-original house site now a car yard).
Reginald was educated in Fremantle and then at Scotch College in Claremont. During this time Reg served in the 86A Cadets of the Citizens Military Forces and then the 86th Regiment.
After leaving school Reg took up employment as a Clerk.
On the 22nd March 1915 Reg enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for enlistment with the Medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 6 feet 1 inch tall;
Weight - 147lbs;
Chest Measurement - 35-37 inches;
Complexion - Fair;
Eyes - Brown;
Hair - Brown.
After his successful enlistment, Reg was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp. After a short stint in the Depot training unit, Reg was assigned to "A" Company of the 28th Battalion AIF with the rank of Sergeant and the regimental number 862.
The 28th Battalion trained in WA until they embarked from Fremantle Harbour aboard the transport ship HMAT “Ascanius” on the 29th June 1915. After their arrival in Egypt in July 1915 they were given further training and were soon told to prepare to head for Gallipoli.
On the 4th September 1915 the Battalion embarked from Egypt and made their way to Gallipoli. After the 28th Battalion arrived at Anzac they were sent to part of the newly captured territory in the northern portion of the Anzac battlefield to hold the new trenches around positions such as the Apex and Rhododendron Ridge. The 28th Battalion were not involved in any major actions on Gallipoli but still had a steady stream of casualties from enemy fire and sickness.
On the 9th November 1915 Reg fell ill and was sent to the Beach Hospital for a week's rest. He returned to the 28th Battalion on the 16th November and served with them for the rest of the Gallipoli campaign.
The 28th Battalion was evacuated from Gallipoli on the 13th December and returned to Lemnos Island. They would spend the next few weeks here. On the 2nd January 1916 Reg was treated for bronchitis but fortunately it was not a severe cases and he was soon back with his unit.
The 28th Battalion returned to Egypt on the 10th January 1916 and after taking on reinforcements they began training. This training would continue for the next few months.
On the 16th March 1916 the 28th Battalion arrived at Alexandria Harbour and proceeded to board a troopship which took them to France, where they arrived at Marseilles on the 21st March 1916. They arrived near Armentieres and took up a position on the Western Front for the first time near Fleurbaix.
The 28th Battalion remained in this sector until June 1916 when they transferred for a short period to Messines. In early July the 28th Battalion were then transferred to the Somme battlefield. On July 23rd the 1st Australian Division had captured Pozieres village and they remained under heavy German shellfire until they were relieved by the 2nd Division a week later. The 28th Battalion came into the line and almost immediately were ordered to attack the German trench line known as OG1 as part of a general advance by the 2nd Division. The 28th Battalion had the hardest task as they were attacking along the highest elevation on the battlefield and were subject to heavy German machine gun fire. The survivors made it to the German line and found an unbroken stretch of thick barbed wire and as they were attempting to get through, many men were shot down.
During this action Reg was wounded by a bullet through the left arm. He went to the 2nd Australian Field Ambulance for initial medical treatment and was then forwarded on to No.44 Casualty Clearing Station. Further treatment was given, and Reg was then sent to an ambulance train which took him to the coastal town of Etaples.
On arrival in Etaples Reg was admitted to the 26th General Hospital. He had a few days of treatment here and on the 2nd August 1916 was shipped to England.
Fortunately his wound was not a severe one, and Reg managed to get an early return to France, arriving back on the 16th August 1916. He rejoined the 28th battalion on the 24th August 1916. The 28th battalion had just come out of the line from their Pozieres and Mouquet Farm actions and there would have been many familiar faces missing.
Due to Reg's leadership abilities he was recommended for Officer training. He was then sent back to England and on the 5th September 1916 had enrolled at the Officers Training Course at Trinity College Cambridge University. This course took place over a few months and on the 18th December 1916 Reg qualified as a Second Lieutenant.
After a period of leave in England after he had successfully finished the course, Reg was returned to France where he rejoined the 28th Battalion on the 20th January 1917. The 28th battalion were then undergoing a freezing French winter on the Somme battlefield near Flers.
In February 1917 the Germans began to withdraw to their pre-prepared defensive positions at the Hindenburg Line. They conducted a fighting withdrawal and hotly contested the advance of the Australians and British. The Australians fought bravely to capture the Hindenburg Line Outpost villages. The 28th Battalion took part in the successful capture of Lagnicourt village on the 26th April 1917.
However Second Lieutenant Reg Hanlin was not with them as two days previously on the 24th March, he had been sent to a Machine Gun training school. The course was for two weeks and Reg successfully passed the exams and rejoined the 28th Battalion on the 5th April 1917.
The 28th Battalion were still in the line on the Bullecourt front through April 1917. On the 11th April 1917 other Australian units were involved in an attempt to take the village of Bullecourt. Unfortunately the attack did not succeed but another attempt would soon take place.
On the 3rd May 1917, the 5th & 6th Brigades attacked the Germans positions at Bullecourt. The 6th Brigade had some success, and the 7th Brigade (to which the 28th Battalion was a part) came into the line to further the gains already made and to hold on to the ground that had been captured. Severe hand to hand fighting with the Germans took place, the men getting close enough to use hand grenades and bayonets. The Germans were also attempting to use flame throwers in the narrow trenches.
During the fight Reg was wounded in the thigh by shrapnel from a hand grenade. He was taken to the nearest Field Ambulance where first aid was given and was then transported to the 36th Casualty Clearing Station. Reg had further treatment there and was then put on an ambulance train which took him to the French town Rouen. Reg was admitted to hospital here and would spend ten days undergoing operations and receiving treatment.
On the 15th May 1917 Reg was sent to England aboard the Hospital Ship called Western Australia. On arrival in England he was sent to the 3rd London General Hospital and he would be here for the next few months. While he was still a patient here, news would come through of his promotion to Lieutenant.
Due to the serious nature of his wounds the medical authorities in England decided that Reg should be returned to Australia.
On the 21st Jul 1917 he was sent aboard the ship Euripides and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 12th September 1917. Reg was then sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle for a thorough medical examination. He was discharged from the AIF on the 6th February 1918.
Reg had returned home to Queen Victoria Street and recuperated over the next few months. Feeling that he had recovered well, Reg re-enlisted into the Australian Forces in September 1918. However instead of being sent back to Europe, Reg's services were utilised in the Naval and Military Expedition force to New Guinea.
The German possessions in New Guinea had been captured in 1914, however after this time the Australian Army and Navy had garrisoned Rabual and other sites. After enlisting Reg had gone to Sydney, where he embarked on the 11th September 1918 aboard the transport ship Morinda. The ship then set sail for Rabaul, where Reg was taken on strength of the Rabaul Garrison on the 27th September 1918.
(Australian War Memorial Photo below of the Officers of the Australian Naval and Military Force at Rabaul - Lieutenant Reginald Hanlin is fourth from left in back row)
For the next few months Reg went between the Australian Garrisons at Rabaul and Kokopo. Even though the Armistice was declared on the 11th November 1918, Reg remained serving in Rabaul till March 1920. He then had a few months of furlough in Australia, before returning to Rabaul in August 1920. He was then allotted for duty with the department of Native Affairs.
Reg was now promoted to Temporary Captain and would be working both in Rabaul and Aitape.
Reg was discharged from the Australian Army on the 21st December 1921. He returned to Western Australia for a time but then moved back to New South Wales.
His Mother Emily died in Fremantle on the 26th March 1929, and his Father died on the 9th October 1933.
By 1932 Reg was working as a Company Manager at Thornleigh Beecroft Parramatta, before moving to Vaucluse Wentworth NSW from 1933 to 1937.
In 1934 married Reg married Jean Wilkins Russell and would have several children including Tony and Michael.
From 1946 to the 1970's Reg and his family were based at West Ryde.
In 1967 from his home in West Ryde Reginald applied for his Gallipoli medallion.
Reg died on the 13th December 1979 in NSW. He was buried at Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium, Ryde, New South Wales RC Lawn Row 45 Plot 0011.