Pat Hanna (born George Patrick Hanna; 18 March 1888 in Whitianga, New
Zealand â€" 24 October 1973 in Ampthill, Bedfordshire, England) was a
New Zealand-born film producer , he was a soldier of the First World
War who entertained postwar audiences with the stage show Diggers,
that was adapted to a film of the same title in 1931.Hanna was born to
Patrick Hanna, a hotelkeeper from Downpatrick, Irish and an Australian
born mother Mary Jane, Hanna's talent for art led him to a signwriting
apprenticeship and cartooning for a Wellington, New Zealand newspaper.
He enlisted at the start of the First World War as a private in the
New Zealand Expeditionary Force where he participated in the
Occupation of German Samoa.In 1916 he joined the Otago Infantry
Regiment where he was sent to Egypt, then France and Belgium. He was
commissioned a second lieutenant in December 1916 and was promoted to
lieutenant in December 1917. His expertise with hand grenades led him
to be appointed a Bombing Officer.Lt Hanna remained in the Army of
Occupation following the Armistice becoming Entertainment Officer
forming No 1 Entertainment Unit. His orders were to "organise
entertainment, lay on laughter unlimited and rollicking relaxation".
Hanna set up a concert party called "The Diggers" where he was the
director, chief writer and performer. The Diggers toured in Germany,
France and England. During this time he invented a scaled down version
of badminton called "Batinton" that was played with bats on a smaller
court.
Zealand â€" 24 October 1973 in Ampthill, Bedfordshire, England) was a
New Zealand-born film producer , he was a soldier of the First World
War who entertained postwar audiences with the stage show Diggers,
that was adapted to a film of the same title in 1931.Hanna was born to
Patrick Hanna, a hotelkeeper from Downpatrick, Irish and an Australian
born mother Mary Jane, Hanna's talent for art led him to a signwriting
apprenticeship and cartooning for a Wellington, New Zealand newspaper.
He enlisted at the start of the First World War as a private in the
New Zealand Expeditionary Force where he participated in the
Occupation of German Samoa.In 1916 he joined the Otago Infantry
Regiment where he was sent to Egypt, then France and Belgium. He was
commissioned a second lieutenant in December 1916 and was promoted to
lieutenant in December 1917. His expertise with hand grenades led him
to be appointed a Bombing Officer.Lt Hanna remained in the Army of
Occupation following the Armistice becoming Entertainment Officer
forming No 1 Entertainment Unit. His orders were to "organise
entertainment, lay on laughter unlimited and rollicking relaxation".
Hanna set up a concert party called "The Diggers" where he was the
director, chief writer and performer. The Diggers toured in Germany,
France and England. During this time he invented a scaled down version
of badminton called "Batinton" that was played with bats on a smaller
court.
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