A photograph of my uncle Frank Hanna, who was in the first class of 100 carefully selected warrant officers and petty officers who became officers through Winston Churchill's scheme to commission promising young men from the lower decks. He received the King's Commission early in 1913 as Mate, a rank equal to sub-Lieutenant but one which distinguished officers from the lower deck from those who had entered the service in the usual way as cadets.

A photograph of my uncle Frank Hanna, seated second from left, in the ship's company of Torpedo Boat Number One (TB1), a small craft that patrolled the East Coast of Britain from Immingham at the outbreak of WW1, before moving to Newhaven to patrol the English Channel. My uncle was in the first class of 100 men from the lower decks who were promoted to officers in a scheme initiated by Winston Churchill, then First Lord of the Admiralty. A contemporary journalist wrote that my uncle was the first officer from the lower decks to be given a command.

war medal, a victory medal and a memorial plaque || The contributor Frank Johnson has step family connection to John Flanagan, who was killed at the battle of Arras (France). The contributed items are a war medal, a victory medal and a memorial plaque bearing the name of John Flanagan. || || Medal || Medals belonging to John Flanagan || John Flanagan || || John Flanagan || Medal || Closeup of medal belonging to John Flanagan || || Letter || Letter from John Flanagan (1) || John Flanagan || || John Flanagan || Letter || Letter from John Flanagan (2) || || Letter from John Flanagan (3) || John Flanagan || Letter || || Letter || John Flanagan || Letter from John Flanagan (4)