Percy Hansen

Percy Howard Hansen
Born 26 October 1890
Durban, South Africa
Died 12 February 1951 (aged 60)
Copenhagen, Denmark
Place of burial Garrison Cemetery, Copenhagen
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Years of service 1911 - 1946
Rank Brigadier
Unit The Lincolnshire Regiment
Battles/wars First World War
Second World War
Awards Victoria Cross
Distinguished Service Order
Military Cross
Order of St. Olav
French Croix de guerre
US Legion of Merit

Brigadier Percy Howard Hansen VC, DSO, MC (26 October 1890 12 February 1951), was a British Army officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to personnel of the British and Commonwealth forces.

There is disagreement concerning the places of Hansen's birth and death. Some sources state that he was born in Durban, South Africa; another says "Dresden, Germany (where his parents were taking a cure)".[1] Similarly, one source gives his place of death as "Kensington, London" and subsequent burial at Garnisons Cemetery, Copenhagen,[1] while another says he died in Copenhaven.

Early life

Hansen was born into a wealthy and well-connected Danish family that settled first in South Africa then, after 1900, in London.[1] He was educated at preparatory schools in Hazelwood, Limpsfield, Surrey and Oxted, Surrey; then at Eton College (from 20 September 1904).[1] His father, Viggo Julius Hansen, was naturalised as a British citizen in 1910[1] so that his son could join the British Army.

Military career

After officer training at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Hansen was commissioned into the Lincolnshire Regiment on 4 March 1911.[2]

He was appointed as a temporary captain shortly after the outbreak of war in 1914, as Adjutant in the regiment's 6th Battalion, and his promotion was made permanent in the following April. He fought with his regiment during the Gallipoli Campaign in summer 1915. On 9 August 1915 at Yilghin Bumu, Hansen's battalion was forced to withdraw while assaulting Scimitar Hill. Hansen and volunteers repeatedly moved back and forth under heavy fire to successfully rescue six wounded men from capture, or death by burning. Hansen was consequently awarded the Victoria Cross.

A month later, he won the Military Cross for performing a reconnaissance mission at Suvla Bay.[3] On the night of 9 September 1915, he carried out a solo reconnaissance of the coast, carrying only a revolver and a blanket for disguise. He successfully located an important Turkish firing position.

Due to ill-health, Hansen was eventually transferred to France and appointed brigade major to the 170th (2/1st North Lancashire) Brigade. He remained a staff officer for the rest of the war, during which he served with the II ANZAC Corps. He was made a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order for another daring reconnaissance mission during the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917.

Hansen attended the Staff College, Camberley after the war.[1]

Hansen served in Second World War, later achieving the rank of Brigadier. He is one of only fourteen men not born as either a British or Commonwealth citizen to have received the Victoria Cross.

Awards and decorations

Hansen's medal display at the Imperial War Museum.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Houterman, Hans. "British Army Officers 1939-1945: J.H. Hackett to G.B. Heywood". unithistories.com. Retrieved 30 January 1915. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  2. "The London Gazette" (PDF). 3 March 1911. p. 1637. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  3. F. G. Spring, 'The History of the 6th (Service) Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment' (Poacher Books, 2008), 98.
  4. The London Gazette: no. 29312. p. 9641. 1 October 1915. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
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