HANNAH, James

Rank: 
Lance Corporal
Unit / Base: 
7 Commando
Regiment/Corps: 
Kings Own Scottish Borderers
Service: 
Army
Number: 
3190809
Honours & Awards: 
Lance Corporal James Hannah, No. 7 Commando, was reported missing on 20 April 1941 during operations at Cyrenaica (Bardia raid), later found to be a prisoner of war in Italy. He escaped from captivity for which he was subsequently awarded the Military Medal.
Recommendation
Captured at Bardia on 20 April 1941. Imprisoned at Camp 102 (Aquila). Hannah escaped from this camp with three other prisoners of war on 9 September 1943; they made for the hills but after two weeks Hannah and one other were recaptured by Germans and taken back to camp. After two days Hannah escaped again, but on his way South he was recaptured by Italians who locked him in a Police Station with two other escapers. Hannah got out through a window leaving the other two behind, and again made South. At Venafro he met Allied troops, and was able to give them information regarding German positions.

Sources
Casualty Lists / National Archives files WO417/24, WO417/27, WO417/64, and WO417/68.
Prisoners of War / National Archives file WO392/21.
Escape/Evasion Report / National Archives file WO208/5397/11.
MM - London Gazette 36563, page 2855.
MM - Award Recommendations / National Archives file WO373/95/132.
 
Notes
His Unit on the Casualty Record is No. 3 SS Bn. This was formed by merging No 4 and 7 Commandos. It was short lived and by Feb 1941 the units had been redesignated back to individual Commando units. However in the interim period on the 31st January 1941, all of No 7 Commando, with some men from No 4 Commando, had sailed for the Middle East as part of Layforce.
 

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