211817 Pte. William Hanna British Army 1st Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers from:Ballymoney, Co. Antrim (d.3rd Oct 1918) William Hanna, like many young men at the time, wanted to fight for his country and see the world, unfortunately, he was too young, so lied about his age when he enlisted. When his mother found out she contacted the army and brought him home, but William was determined, the next morning when his mother went to wake him he was gone again! William eventually enlisted in Hamilton, Scotland, and transferred to the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers. His battalion was involved in many conflicts including the Somme in 1916, Messines in 1917 where William was injured by a shell blast, and endured a winter of snow in the open trenches at Cambrai. By late September 1918 the Battalion was involved in fierce fighting in the Messines area. It was here that he was seriously injured and died of his wounds on 3rd October 1918. Willim Hanna has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
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