An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir Dec 2019/Jan 2020 www.dfmagazine.ie 36 | BY RAYMOND MOLONY A n Irish DH 9 bomber, serial no 2, landed at Baldonnel aerodrome on 13 March 1923, with Lt WI Hannon at the controls, accompanied by his observer, 2/Lt T Comba. Both men were members of the recently established Irish Na- tional Air Service, whose 400 servicemen pro- vided the air component for the National Army of the Irish Free State. Wil- liam Ignatius Hannon's life illustrates how politics and technology developed in the early part of 20th century Ireland. William was born in Limerick on 7 June 1888 to a family of grocers. His father's death and his mother's remarriage to PJ Molony, who owned a medical hall in Tipperary town, pro- vided financial security, three stepbrothers, and a stepsister. After education to intermediate level with the Jesuits, Wil- liam began an apprenticeship in various medical halls with a view to following in his stepfather's footsteps. This was also a time of political upheaval, and young William gained his first military experience with the Irish Volunteers in 1913. The outbreak of WWI in 1914 saw William desperate to join an Irish regiment. Initially rejected, he used every contact he could to advance his desire to serve as an officer, and was eventually taken on for officer training with the Royal Irish Regiment in August 1916. After a deviated septum and subsequent illness led to his discharge at the end of 1916, William persevered and was appointed as a probationary 2/Lt in the same regiment in February 1917. Training courses in Cork followed, in drill, small arms and gas defence, before deployment to Egypt, Pales- tine, and eventually Salonika in July 1917. Sometime after this, he joined the Royal Flying Corps as a flying officer, which is how he was described when the RAF was formed in April 1918. By January 1920, he was listed as having a short-service or permanent commission in the post- war RAF. Ireland had changed during his military service and his family had played a significant part in the process. His step- father was imprisoned after the Rising in 1916, was elected as a TD in 1918, and was one of the 27 TDs who attended the first Dáil on 21 January 1919. The IRA's Third Tipperary Brigade was formed in his stepfather's house, which was burnt down in a subsequent reprisal raid, and one of William's stepbroth- ers was shot dead in 1921. The remaining stepbrothers, Con and Jim, along with their sister, Mary, played an active part in the War of Independence. The Treaty of 1921 permitted the setting up of an Irish air service and July 1922 saw the arrival of three aircraft, includ- ing the one known as 'The Big Fella'. These aircraft, and sub- sequent machines, were either ex-RAF or direct purchases from the Aircraft Disposal Company. There was, however, a shortage of pilots, observers and technical aircrew. By the end of December 1922, 12 ex-RAF pilots had been taken on by the Irish National Air Service. These included William Ignatius Hannon, who enlisted on 5 December 1922 as a flying officer, on a salary of £5 a week. Planes purchased in Britain took two days to fly from Croy- don to Baldonnel, often against prevailing winds. This, and the average three-hour sea crossing, made it a risky business. For example, a DH9 crashed during delivery at Baldonnel on 1 January 1923. It would be March before Lts Hannon and Comba would fly the repaired aircraft. William was kept busy during the early days of his service. There is a record of a flight in a Bristol fighter on 11 Decem- ber 1922 with Major General W McSweeny, OC of the Irish National Air Service, and we can see Lt Hannon's signature on many Air Service aircraft records. By June 1923 there was enough aircraft to nearly make up two squadrons, but there was still a shortage of pilots and observers. At this time Wil- liam was promoted to captain in charge of training. Three months earlier, on 7 March 1923, William's two step- brothers, Con (adjutant general of the anti-Treaty forces), and Jim (director of communications), had been captured by Free State forces. However, the Civil War was coming to an end at this stage and after it ended there was no longer a need for a 58,000 strong army. The subsequent reduction in the size of the National Army was one of the factors leading to the army Captain Hannon, Irish Air Service and Air Corps.

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