MILITARY SURGERY
A MARVELLOUS RECOVERY.
Mr Albert Hanan, of Timaru, has received information regarding his son, Private J. A. Newton Hanan, which reveals one of the marvels of surgery of which the war is said to be providing many examples. Private Hanan, a young man of 25, enlisted at Invercargill, and left with the Main Body and took part in the landing at Gallipoli. Some time afterwards he was wounded, and was six months in hospital in England. Having recovered he was sent to France, took part in the battle of the Somme, and was again wounded, this time seriously. A letter to Mr Hanan, from a relative, a doctor, who saw the wounded man in hospital, and wrote on October 5th, said: "The bullet severed the spinal cord, consequently he is paralysed from the waist downwards and is incurable. He may live some time, in a more or less helpless condition." Before this letter reached New Zealand, however, a telegram from the Base Records Office, of October 30, reported that Private Hanan was in hospital, dangerously ill. A later message states that his condition was satisfactory consdering the nature of his wound, the spinal column being affected. On December 13, a telegram from the Base Records Office reported that this patient had been removed from the "dangerously ill" to the "seriously ill" list; and on January 18th (yesterday) Mr Hanan received a telegram conveying the pleasing and scarcely expected news that his son had been removed from the seriously ill list. The messages are official confirmations of a letter received by the Hon. J. A. Hanan, uncle of the patient, from the wife of the Bishop of Nelson, quoting a letter she had received from a lady official visitor to the Birmingham Hospital. The writer said that large numbers of wounded were arriving many of them very badly knocked about. "Some of the cases are simply marvellous...A young man named Hanan (a nephew of the New Zealand Minister of Education) was shot through the spine, and consequently was helpless from the waist down. Humanly speaking his davs were numbered. But they put in a silver tube and in two weeks' time he was beginning to have a slight feeling, and when we saw him last Sunday (November 5) the tube had been taken out, and he was making rapid progress with regard to regaining sensation and feeling in his body. He has always been cheerful and never repining." -Timaru Herald, 19/1/1917.
The Hon. T. A. Hanan, Minister of Education, this morning paid a visit to the Dunedin Hospital, where his nephew, Sergeant Newton Hanan, lies grievously ill. Twelve months ago last September Sergeant Hanan, while fighting in Flanders, received shrapnel wounds in the spine, and as a result the lower portion of his body is paralysed. The fortitude and courage shown by the wounded soldier are the admiration of all who see him. In the afternoon the Minister visited the Home Science School, where Professor Boys-Smith further explained the matters that were discussed by the deputation who waited on the Minister last evening. Mr Hanan leaves for Wellington to-morrow morning. -Evening Star, 11/12/1917.
The Hon. J. A. Hanan paid a visit to the Dunedin Hospital yesterday for the purpose of seeing two of his nephews, who are patients of the Soldiers' Ward. These are Sergeant Newton Hanan, who was wounded on the Somme about two years ago, and Mr L. Hanan, who broke down in health while serving on a hospital ship and was afterwards secretary of the Returned Soldiers' Memorial Fund Committee. In the afternoon the Minister, accompanied by Mrs Hanan, attended the annual meeting of the Society for the Health of Women, and Children, where he delivered an address. The Minister will leave by the express this morning for Invercargill. -Otago Daily Times, 8/5/1918.
OBITUARY.
SERGEANT NEWTON HANAN.
The death occurred at the Dunedin Hospital yesterday of Sergeant J. A. Newton Hanan, of the Main Body N.Z.E.F., after a long and painful illness borne with a degree of fortitude that was an inspiration to many other patients, soldier as well as civilian. The late Sergeant Hanan, who before the war took an active part in all forms of outdoor sport and was a noted footballer in Invercargill, spent no fewer than five and a-half years in hospital suffering from a wound which he received on active service, but his spirits were undimmed to the very end and his unfailing cheerfulness in the face of his great affliction was a source of wonder to many. He fought like a soldier, bore his illness like a soldier, and died like a soldier. The late Sergeant Hanan was the son of Mr and Mrs Albert Hanan, formerly of Invercargill, but now living in King street, Dunedin. He received his early education at the Waihopai School, and afterwards entered the Invercargill branch of the railway service. His fine qualities as a keen sport and his genial disposition soon won for him a wide circle of friends, and both during the war period and throughout his illness he retained the faculty of attracting others. On the outbreak of war Sergeant Hanan enlisted with the Main Body, and a fortnight after landing on Gallipoli he received a wound. From Gallipoli he was removed to hospital in Birmingham, where the bullet was extracted from his thigh. On his recovery he was returned to Gallipoli, and after being there for about four months he was again injured. After a period of convalescence in Egypt he joined up with the forces in France, where he spent some six months in the fighting line, and where, while taking part in the battle of the Somme in September, 1916, he received a bullet wound which severed the spinal cord. He spent six months in each of the Birmingham and Walton-on-Thames Hospitals, and on his return to New Zealand the bullet was skilfully and successfully removed by Dr Barnett, and the soldier improved much in his general health. His parents and friends express the highest appreciation of the sympathetic assistance rendered by Mrs Macfie and the nurses at the Dunedin and Montecillo Hospitals, who did much to help the late Sergeant Hanan during his long illness. The deceased soldier was a member of the Masonic and Oddfellows’ Lodges, and he was also at one time a member of the Invercargill Fire Brigade. The body will be taken to Invercargill to-day, where the funeral will take place. About two years, ago Mr Leonard Hanan, a younger brother of the deceased, died in the Dunedin Hospital as the result of sickness contracted while on active service. The remaining brother, Mr Stanley Hanan, resides at Timaru. -Otago Daily Times, 27/2/1922.
FUNERAL OF SERGEANT J. A NEWTON HANAN. Sergeant Hanan, who was a member of the Main Body, N.Z.E.F., died at the Dunedin Hospital last month after a long illness, and was at Invercargill. -Otago Witness, 21/3/1922.
ABOUT PEOPLE
The funeral of Signalman J. A. Newton Hanan who died in Dunedin a few days ago as the result of injuries received in the war took place yesterday afternoon. The ceremony, with the exception of the graveside service, was wholly conducted by soldiers, and was one of the most impressive seen in Invercargill for many years. Even the graveside ceremonies had a military touch, the officiating clergyman being the Rev. Canon Lush, who was himself overseas with the forcee. The Masonic fraternity was also represented and a large number of friends were in attendance to pay their last tribute to the deceased soldier. -Southland Times, 2/3/1922.
Leonard's story seems to be overshadowed by that of his brother. His records show that he died of tuberculosis, and include the note "pre-enlistment disability aggravated by active service."
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