John Peter HANNA
Known to all as Peter
Serial Number: NZ413682
RNZAF Trade: Pilot
Date of Enlistment: 1941
Rank Achieved: Warrant Officer
Flying Hours:
Operational Sorties:Date of Birth: Born on the 25th of November 1920
Personal Details: Peter was the son of Mr and Mrs Robert Stanley Hanna of Leamington, Cambridge. He was educated at Cambridge Primary School and Cambridge District High School. Peter was a well-known sportsman in his time, and was a member of the Leamington Rugby Football Club. He also played for the Cambridge Cricket Team, and was prominent in golfing circles too. Prior to enlisting in the RNZAF Peter worked for the Cambridge District Power Board.Service Details: It seems that Peter must have been in the Territorial Army before joining the RNZAF. He joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force as a trainee pilot at the same time as Gordon Easter, also from Cambridge, in 1941. Both ended up training together in New Zealand and Canada. They left Auckland on the ship Mariposa on the 20th of October 1941. Peter and Gordon trained at No. 4 Service Flying Training School at Saskatoon, on Course No. 42.
The following excerpt comes from The New Zealand Observer magazine, which was a social magazine of the day, dated the 15th of October 1941. This snippet of news, written by a Cambridge-based columnist identified only as SALLY who wrote the column with seemingly only female readers in mind, came under the section "Waikato Doings" and the subheading "Cambridge Sidelights";
"AIRMEN ENTERTAINED: The Patriotic Committee staged a morning tea recently in honour of Pilot Officer Jim Meredith, and Aircraftsmen Peter Hanna and Gordon Easter. Some of the people who came along to say 'happy landings' and wish them the best of luck were Mrs Edgar James (Mayoress), Mrs Arthur Nicholl, Mrs R.S. Hanna, Mrs Charlie Meredith, Mrs M.A. Bell, Mrs A.R. Batchelor, Mrs E. J. Easter, Mrs W. Garland and Ethyl Swayne."
On the same page the following report was made by the same journalist:
"COMBINED PARTY: Mrs H.B. Rishworth and Mrs R.S. Hanna combined their efforts in a coming-of-age party for Rosemary Rishworth, and one in honour of Aircraftsman Peter Hanna. The party was staged at Mrs Rishworth's home at Karapiro - ideal for a party. The lounge and supper tables were beautifully decorated by Mrs Eddie Nickle with tulips, anemones and ranunculus. Mrs Rishworth wore an attractive floral organdie frock in autumn shades, Mrs Hanna's frock being of black lace.
Rosemary was wearing a frock of black moire taffetas which suited her fairness perfectly, whilst sister Pam wore a taffeta frock of hyacinth blue. Various games and dancing and a sumptuous supper, I hear, helped this to be a very bright party. Several lasses who came a distance were the guests of Mrs Rishworth for the weekend. A few of the many invited along were Mrs Mervyn Wells, Mrs Joe Banks, Mrs Eddie Nickle, George Vospers, the Frank Vospers, the Joe Butlers, Susan Banks, Sheila Richardson, Coralie Foster, Janet Abraham (over from Hamilton), Barbara Potts (Matamata), Elizabeth Alford, Heather McDiarmid (Hamilton), Shirley Savage (Te Aroha), Ruth and Pat Nickle, Phyllis Vosper, Billy Magson and Maureen Long of Hamilton. SALLY."
Details of Death: Peter died on the 5th of October 2003, in Hamilton, aged 82
Buried at: Hamilton?Connection with Cambridge: Peter Hanna lived in Cambridge before the war.
Sources:
Cambridge Museum records via Eris Parker
The Waikato Independent newspaper dated:
Homeserviceman to camp 1 July 1940
Farewelled with wallet 8 Oct 1941
Injured on active service 23 Nov 1942
Warrant Officer and Mrs Hanna arrives on ‘ Stirling Castle ' 1 March 1943
Welcome home dance 27 Feb 1946
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