Hannibal Sloan

Photographs & Artefacts

Early Life & Family

Hannibal Sloan was the first born of John Hannibal Sloan and Isabel Whyte, born on 11 May 1871 in Kilmore, Victoria. Kilmore has a claim as Victoria’s oldest inland settled town. John had been born in Greenock, Scotland in 1841 and Isabel had been born in 1850. John had come to Australia with his family in 1859. They had married in Albury, New South Wales on 28 March 1870. Hannibal was the first of seven children to them. Next born was Katie in 1873, then Emily in 1876, John James in 1878 in Molesworth, Victoria, Agnes in 1881 in Yea, Isabel in 1883, and James Sloan in 1888 in Alexandra, Victoria.

Hannibal married Martha Jane O’Donnell in Newtown, New South Wales in 1900. Martha had been born in 1871 in Yass. They had a girl, Edith Isabel Sloan, in 1902 in Sydney. The Evening News (Sydney) of Friday 30 March 1900, on page 8 under “Military Matters”: “General French has approved the appointment of Mr. Hannibal Sloan to the Permanent Staff, as third-class colour-sergeant instructor, on probation, with pay at the rate of 6s 8d per diem, and the usual lodging allowance of his rank. C.S. Sloan will be attached from this date to the Seventh Regiment (St. George’s Rifles).”

Hannibal was involved in a court case in 1910 involving a person named Piggott, to do with a shooting competition in New Zealand. The newspaper stated: “Hannibal Sloan, sergeant-major and instructor to St. George’s Rifles, stated that on the day following the last stage of the King’s match Piggott received £100 in notes at the pay window. Afterwards the £100 was returned and he was led to believe it came from Piggott.” More evidence was given, but the case was extended for a week and the verdict was not noted.

In the 1913 electoral roll, they were living at Hampden Road and he was an instructor. Military Order 566 of 1913 is a seniority roll of Instructional Staff (Warrant and Non-Commissioned Officers) and shows that Staff Regimental Sergeant-Major H. Sloan at Victoria Barracks, Sydney, in the 2nd Military District had Corps Seniority dating from 1 May 1913.

War Service

On 12 August 1915, Hannibal enlisted as a Lieutenant in the 30th Battalion (as part of the 8th Infantry Brigade, 5th Division). It was raised in Liverpool on 5 August 1915. His term of service was for the war and 4 months. Hannibal reported for duty as Adjutant on 19 August 1915 with the rank of Lieutenant, moving back to camp Moore Park on 2 September, and being promoted to Captain on 18 October 1915. He embarked on HMAT Beltana A72 with the 30th Battalion as Captain Adjutant at Sydney on 9 November 1915. While being Adjutant, he was responsible for writing the War Diary of the Battalion. Before going overseas, the diary was typed up and it was signed H. W. Sloan, for some reason — no middle name is documented for him.

He was listed as a 44-year-old soldier who was married. His next of kin was his wife, Jane Sloan, and their address was “Archray”, Hampden Road, Artarmon, NSW. His religion was Presbyterian and his rate of pay per day was 22 shillings and 6 pence. In his records, his Attestation Paper was missing, and a file was put in stating that. His Application for a Commission in the A.I.E.F. form showed his educational qualifications were Superior Public School, and his military qualifications were 3 years in the Victorian Mounted Rifles, 3 years 3 months in Permanent Artillery (R.A.G.A.) and 15 years 3 months in Instructional Staff. His present civil employment was S.R.S.M. (Warrant Officer) Instructional Staff, C.M. Forces. He was a British Subject and was married. He dated it 24 July 1915. The medical certificate stated he was 6 foot tall, had a chest measurement of 35½ to 40 inches, weighed 13 stone 2 pounds and had good eyes. He was initially recommended to be a Lieutenant, but that was crossed out with Captain and Adjutant written.

He arrived at Suez, disembarking on 11 December 1915, and to camp Heliopolis, Egypt, then to Canal Defences, Ismailia on 17 December 1915. On 6 February 1916 he moved to Tel El Kebir. On 16 June 1916, he embarked at Alexandria to join the B.E.F., disembarking at Marseilles on 23 June from HMAT Horatia, and then by train to Northern France near Morbecque. The 30th Battalion headed for the Western Front at Bois Grenier on 8 July and Fleurbaix on 16 July 1916, moving to Fromelles on 19 July 1916 with a major allied attack on 21 July 1916. Initially tasked with carrying parties for supplies and ammunition, the Battalion was soon drawn into the battle and was involved in vicious fighting. After that battle, the Battalion was rotated in and out of the front line, but was not involved in any major offensives for the rest of the year.

On 4 October 1916, he was promoted to Major and relinquished his appointment of Adjutant, and the following day, on 5 October, was appointed Officer Commanding C Company, 30th Infantry Battalion. To the Somme on 17 October and periods in the front at Flers followed by periods in and out of the trenches near Le Transloy. A note about allotments was sent by the District Paymaster in Sydney on 29 November 1916: “Herewith I forward for necessary action allotments as follows: — Major H. Sloan, 30th Btn, 20/- p.d. from 4/10/16 in favour of (Wife) Mrs. J. Sloan, ‘Achray’, Hampden Road, Artarmon, N.S.W. This cancels previous allotment of 17/- p.d. in favour of the same allottee.”

Hannibal was admitted to the New Zealand Stationary Hospital, Amiens, with bronchitis on 23 December 1916, re-joining the 30th Battalion on 10 January 1917. On 9 January 1917, Base Records sent Mrs M. J. Sloan a letter stating that “Major H. Sloan was admitted to the New Zealand Stationary Hospital 25/12/16 suffering from Bronchitis Mild.” He was seconded for duty with the 8th Infantry Training Battalion, Tidworth, in England on 1 February 1917. On 25 February 1917, he was admitted to Fovant Hospital at Hurdcott, being sick. He was marched in to the 8th Training Battalion at Hurdcott on 17 March 1917.

A Medical Board at Tidworth on 15 October 1917 found he had asthma and declared him permanently unfit for general service and unfit for home service for 6 months. He was to be invalided to Australia, and was sent to Weymouth on 19 October 1917, embarking from England on the transport ship Ormonde on 25 November 1917. He arrived at Kenilworth Castle, Cape Town on 28 December 1917. Embarking from Durban on the HMAT Medic on 3 January 1918, he disembarked in Melbourne on 22 January 1918 and then took a train to Sydney. On 16 April 1918, he was found unfit for further service at Sydney. He was discharged on 20 April 1918.

Honours

The Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Long Service and Good Conduct Medal was awarded to Warrant Officer H. Sloan, Staff R.S.M., Instructional Staff 2MD, and recorded on Commonwealth Gazette (CG) Number 99, dated 28 August 1915. Along with that medal, Hannibal Sloan was awarded the 1914–15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal 1914–1919. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal as Quarter Master & Honourable Major H. Sloan, Australian Instructional Corps (AIC) 2MD, on CG Number 38, dated 4 May 1922. An application for war service leave gratuity was processed on 14 March 1919.

After the War

In 1925, the family visited England: Major H. Sloan, Mrs F. Sloan and Miss E. Sloan boarded the Orient steamship Ormonde at London on 17 October 1925, bound for Australia. He was a soldier aged 53, his wife aged 52 and daughter 23. Their address in England was listed as Australia House, Strand.

Hannibal wrote an article in Reveille in September 1935, an obituary for Sergeant Robert Barnes, who had served with the Lancers in the Zulu War and was with the First Field Ambulance on Lemnos during the First World War. At some stage after the war, Hannibal Sloan was the President of the 30th Battalion Association. In the 1928 New South Wales directory and the 1933, 1936 and 1937 electoral rolls, they were living at 192 Hampden Road, Artarmon, and he was a Drill Instructor, probably with School Cadets. Edith was still living with them and was a stenographer. Martha passed away in 1941 in Chatswood, New South Wales.

“Reveille” of 1 June 1933 had an article on “‘Young’ Rowley: 30th Bn Mount”:

On the march of the 30th Bn. from Morbecque to Estaires in 1916 a halt was not called for many weary miles owing to the column being longer than the distance between estaminets. “Young” Rowley, having dipped his feet in the ditch to ease swollen feet, was unable to get his boots back on again and continued on the march with these strung around his neck. In compassion, Major Sloan lent his horse to “Young” Rowley, and so the battalion was led into Estaires by two horsemen — Colonel Clark, most immaculate; and “Young” Rowley, in bare feet with boots around his neck.

81 Private Rowland Lording embarked with the 30th Battalion on 9 November 1915 on HMAT Beltana A72 as well. He was an 18-year-old bookkeeper from Burwood. In 1917, he was wounded and dangerously ill. He returned to Australia, leaving England on 22 February 1917. The wounds were so grave that he endured 53 operations, as a newspaper article in his medical file recorded. He died in October 1944 of pneumonia.

Hannibal passed away on 10 August 1945 in Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards. The Sydney Morning Herald of 13 August 1945 recorded: “SLOAN. — August 10 1945, at Royal North Shore Hospital, Hannibal, of 194 Hampden Road, Artarmon, dearly loved father of Edith, aged 74 (late 1st 30th Battalion, A.I.F.). Privately cremated.”