Lieutenant Colonel J Rainsford-Hannay DSO

Commanded 2^nd Bn The Queen's Royal Regiment from April 1924 to 22^nd January 1928.

John Rainsford-Hannay was born on 4^th September 1879 and was educated at Wellington and the RMC Sandhurst. He was commissioned in The Queen's Royal Regiment on 7^th September 1898 and joined the 2^nd Battalion at Aldershot. He saw service with the Battalion in the South African War and was for some time adjutant of The South African Light Horse.

He returned to Great Britain with the 2^nd Battalion and following service with the 1^st Battalion in India was appointed adjutant of the 6^th Volunteer Battalion and later adjutant of The Inns of Court OTC. He remained with The Inns of Court Regiment in training in England until 1915 when he joined the Staff of 15 Scottish Division and served with that Division as Brigade Major and GSO 2. He was badly wounded at the Battle of Loos. For his services in France he was awarded the DSO.

In 1917 he accompanied the British Military Mission to the United States of America. At the end of the War after a period of commanding the Regimental Depot he was again appointed adjutant of The Inns of Court OTC.

In 1922 he joined The 1^st Battalion in Ireland and in January 1924 was appointed to command the 2^nd Battalion in India. He completed his tour of command and was placed on the half pay list on 26^th January 1928. He retired from the Army on 27^th July 1928.

During the 1939-45 War he commanded his local Home Guard Battalion.

He was a keen sportsman and at one time was a member of Blackheath RFC and was one of the pioneers of the Army Rugby Union of which he was for a number of years Honorary Secretary and Treasurer.

He died on 7^th March 1951.

For obituary see the Journal of The Queen's Royal Regiment Vol X No 1 (May 1951) page 48.

 

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