THE CANADIAN WAR MUSEUM HAS ACQUIRED THE VICTORIA CROSS MEDAL GROUP AWARDED TO LIEUTENANT ROBERT HANNA, 29TH BATTALION ( VANCOUVER ) CANADIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE.
19 November 2018


( select to enlarge )
Medal entitlement of Lieutenant Robert Hanna,
29th Bn ( Vancouver ), Canadian Expeditionary Force

  • Victoria Cross
  • 1914-15 Star
  • British War Medal ( 1914-19 )
  • Victory Medal ( 1914-20 )
  • King George VI Coronation Medal ( 1937 )
  • Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal ( 1953 )


The Canadian War Museum in Ottawa has acquired the Victoria Cross medal group awarded to Lieutenant Robert Hanna, 29th Battalion ( Vancouver ), Canadian Expeditionary Force. The acquisition was made possible through the generous support of Cyril Woods, leader of the 'Hill 70 Memorial Project', and with the assistance of the Canadian War Museum's National Collectionn Fund. The VC group was initially held by the Hanna family.

The CWM now holds four of the six Victoria Crosses awarded for the action at Hill 70 near Lens & Loos.

  • Private Harry Brown VC, 10th Bn, CEF
  • Lieutenant Robert Hanna VC, 29th Bn, CEF
  • Sergeant Frederick Hobson VC, 20th Bn, CEF
  • Corporal Filip Konowal VC, 47th Bn, CEF
  • Major Okill Learmonth VC, 2nd Bn, CEF ( VC held by Govenor General's Foot Guards, Ottawa )
  • Private Michael O'Rourke VC, 7th Bn, CEF ( VC missing, location not known )


For the award of the Victoria Cross

[ London Gazette, 8 November 1917 ], Lens, France, 21 August 1917, Company Sergeant Major Robert Hill Hanna, 29th Bn ( Vancouver ), Canadian Expeditionary Force.

For most conspicuous bravery in attack ( Lens, France ), when his company met with most severe enemy resistance and all the company officers became casualties. A strong point, heavily protected by wire and held by a machine gun, had beaten off three assaults of the company with heavy casualties. This Warrant Officer under heavy machine gun and rifle fire, coolly collected a party of men, and leading them against this strong point, rushed through the wire and personally bayonetted three of the enemy and brained the fourth, capturing the position and silencing the machine gun.

This most courageous action, displayed courage and personal bravery of the highest order at this most critical moment of the attack, was responsible for the capture of a most important tactical point, and but for his daring action and determined handling of a desperate situation the attack would not have succeeded.

Colour Sergeant Major Hanna’s outstanding gallantry, personal courage and determined leading of his company is deserving of the highest possible reward.

Robert Hanna was invested with his Victoria Cross by King George V at Buckingham Palace on the 5th December 1917.


Robert Hanna died on the 15th June 1967 and was buried in the Masonic Cemetery, Burnaby, British Columbia.

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Iain Stewart, 1 December 2018