WW2 Heroism: The Man Who Fought Flames Mid-Flight

Greetings, history enthusiasts. I'm Steve Matthews, and welcome back to WW2 Stories. Today, we're exploring one of the most extraordinary acts of courage in the history of aerial warfare—the story of Flight Sergeant John Hannah, who at just 18 years old became the youngest airman in World War II to receive Britain's highest military honor, the Victoria Cross.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Greetings, history enthusiasts. I'm Steve Matthews, and welcome
back to WW2 Stories. Today we're exploring one of the
most extraordinary acts of courage in the history of aerial
warfare, the story of Flight Sergeant John Hannah, who at
just 18 years old became the youngest airman in World War 2

(00:20):
to receive Britain's highest military honor, the Victoria
Cross. The night of September 15th,
1940 was clear and cold over theskies of Belgium as the Hanley
Page Hampton bomber of 83 Squadron, Royal Air Force
approached its target in AntwerpHarbor.
Tensions ran high among its fourman crew, their mission to bomb

(00:43):
German invasion barges being assembled for Hitler's plane
assault on Britain. Piloting the aircraft was Flying
Officer Claire Connor, an experienced airman.
With a steady hand, the navigator, Flight Sergeant James
McFarlane, meticulously plotted their course through enemy
territory. In the rear gun position sat

(01:04):
Sergeant Eustace Hooey, scanningthe darkness for enemy fighters.
And operating the wireless radioequipment was Sergeant John
Hannah, at just 18 the youngest member of the crew.
Hannah was a Glasgow born lad who had enlisted in the RAF as
soon as he turned 17, lying about his age to join up in
1939. After completing his training as

(01:28):
a wireless operator and air gunner, he'd been posted to 83
Squadron at RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire.
Though barely old enough to shave, Hannah had already flown
numerous combat missions over enemy territory, including
bombing raids on Berlin itself. His background was modest but
respectable. Born on November 29th, 1921 in

(01:52):
Paisley, Scotland, Hannah was the son of a railway worker.
He'd grown up in the working class district of Glasgow,
attending local schools where heshowed particular aptitude for
mathematics and technical subjects.
After completing his education, at the minimum leaving age of
14, Hannah had worked briefly asa clerk before the outbreak of

(02:13):
war inspired him to volunteer for the Royal Air Force.
The Hanley Page Hampton bomber that Hannah flew and was
nicknamed the Flying Suitcase byits crews due to its unusually
narrow fuselage. Though considered modern when
introduced in 1938, by 1940 it was becoming outclassed by newer
designs. With a crew of four, pilot,

(02:36):
navigator, wireless operator, slash gunner and rear gunner,
the Hampton carried a bomb load of up to 4000 lbs.
It's defensive armament consisted of a single forward
firing .3 O3 machine gun and four to six guns in dorsal,
ventral and rear positions. Crucially for our story, the

(02:57):
Hamptons construction included considerable amounts of
magnesium alloy, a light but highly flammable metal.
This night's mission seemed routine enough at first.
The bomber crossed the North Seawithout incident and approached
the Belgian coast. The German anti aircraft
defenses around Antwerp were known to be formidable, but the

(03:18):
crew had faced them before squadron briefings had
emphasized the importance of this particular target.
Barges being assembled in Antwerp harbor were essential
components of Operation Celian, Hitler's planned invasion of
Britain. As they neared the target area,
Connor brought the bomber down to 7000 feet for better bombing

(03:38):
accuracy. Hannah's role during the bombing
run was to operate the radio andbe ready to man the front guns
if enemy fighters appeared. The Hamptons bomb aimer lined up
the target and at precisely the right moment the aircraft's
payload of high explosives dropped away toward the invasion
barges below. Bombs gone came the call and

(04:00):
Connor immediately banked the aircraft into a turn to head
back toward the safety of the English Channel and home.
It was at this moment that disaster struck.
The sky around them suddenly erupted with flashes as German
anti aircraft batteries found their range.
The Hampton shuttered as shells exploded nearby.

(04:20):
The flak was intense, bursting black puffs of shrapnel and
explosive force, illuminated briefly by their own
detonations. Then came a direct hit.
The German 88mm anti aircraft shell tore through the bombers
thin aluminum skin and exploded inside the aircraft.
The detonation instantaneously transformed the Hamptons

(04:42):
interior into an inferno. The shell had passed through one
of the aircraft's fuel tanks before exploding in the fuselage
near the wireless operator's compartment.
Aviation fuel sprayed throughoutthe rear section of the
aircraft, immediately igniting into a wall of flame.
The official citation would later describe the scene.

(05:03):
Both petrol tanks were pierced. There was a terrific explosion
and the fuselage was filled withfire and smoke.
The damage was catastrophic. The floor in Hannah's position
was partially blown away, leaving him staring down at the
countryside 7000 feet below. The electrical system shorted

(05:23):
and sparked, adding to the chaos.
The intercom system failed, cutting off communication
between crew positions. The bomber began to lose
altitude as Connor struggled with damaged control surfaces in
the rear gun position. Sergeant who he found himself
surrounded by flames, with no way to fight the fire and facing

(05:45):
certain death if he remained. He made the only rational
choice. He bailed out, dropping away
from the burning aircraft into the night sky over Occupy
Belgium. His parachute deployed
successfully, but he would spendthe remainder of the war as a
prisoner of the Germans. After landing in the navigator's
position, Flight Sergeant McFarlane face the same

(06:07):
impossible situation. Fire was racing through the
fuselage, ammunition was beginning to cook off in the
heat, exploding randomly inside the aircraft, and thick, toxic
smoke made breathing nearly impossible.
With the aircraft apparently doomed, McFarlane 2 decided to
abandon the bomber, parachuting into enemy territory like hooey.

(06:32):
He was captured upon landing andspent the war in a German PAL
camp. Now only two crew members
remained aboard the stricken bomber, Flying Officer Connor at
the controls and Sergeant Hannahat his wireless station.
Connor, in the forward cockpit, was momentarily protected from
the worst of the flames, but he knew the aircraft was doomed if

(06:53):
the fire couldn't be contained. Over the intercom, he shouted to
Hannah, asking if he was all right and advising him to bail
out while there was still time. Hannah's response was immediate
and resolute. Later, Connor would recall
Hannah's exact words. I'll fight the fire, Sir.
We'll get home. What followed was one of the

(07:16):
most extraordinary demonstrations of courage in the
history of aerial warfare. Despite being surrounded by
flames, with ammunition exploding around him and his
oxygen supply compromised, Hannah made a deliberate
decision to stay and fight. He recognized that if he
abandoned his post, the fire would quickly consume the entire

(07:37):
aircraft, killing his pilot and destroying the bomber.
Hannah's first action was to remove his parachute and Stow it
away, a powerful symbolic gesture that committed him
irrevocably to saving the aircraft or dying in the
attempt. With the parachute out of the
way, he had more room to maneuver in the confined space.

(07:57):
He then forced his way through the wall of flames to reach the
aircraft's fire extinguishers. The heat was so intense that the
aluminum floor panels were beginning to melt beneath his
feet. The smoke was so thick that he
could barely see, using his hands to feel his way through
the aircraft. Each breath filled his lungs
with toxic fumes from burning fuel oil and synthetic

(08:21):
materials. The dangers Hannah faced went
far beyond the obvious threat ofburns.
The fire could potentially reachthe remaining fuel tank, causing
a catastrophic explosion. The ammunition for the
aircraft's defensive guns was already cooking off in the heat,
with bullets and shells exploding randomly throughout

(08:41):
the rear compartment. The structural integrity of the
aircraft was increasingly compromised as aluminum
components softened and buckled in the intense heat.
And even if he managed to fight through all these dangers, the
toxic fumes threatened to overcome him with every breath.
Retrieving the extinguishers, Hannah began to fight the blaze,

(09:03):
directing the streams of fire, suppressing chemicals at the
base of the flames as he'd been trained to do.
But in the confined space of thebomber, with aviation fuel
feeding the fire, the two small extinguishers proved woefully
inadequate. The fire extinguishers of the
period were primitive by modern standards.

(09:23):
They contained carbon tetrachloride, a chemical that,
while effective against certain types of fires, produced highly
toxic phosgene gas when exposed to flames.
Hannah was essentially poisoninghimself further in his attempts
to fight the fire, breathing andnot just smoke, but toxic
chemical byproducts. When the extinguishers were

(09:45):
empty, Hannah refused to give up.
He grabbed his logbook, the leather bound volume in which he
recorded radio transmissions andother flight data, and began
beating at the flames with it. The logbook quickly charred and
fell apart in his hands. With nothing else available,
Hannah then began fighting the fire with his bare hands,

(10:06):
beating at the flames, pulling away burning debris and
smothering smaller fires with his own body.
The pain must have been excruciating.
The fire seared his face, blistered his hands, and cinched
his eyebrows and hair. The heat was so intense it
melted his flying helmet where it touched the flames.

(10:27):
Throughout this ordeal, the Hampton continued flying, though
barely under control. Connor was wrestling with
damaged control cables, asymmetric thrust from damaged
engines and the alarming structural sounds coming from
behind him as the fire consumed the aircraft's interior.
The bomber lost altitude steadily, each 100 feet,

(10:48):
bringing them closer to both thedeadly flat below and the point
of no return for a successful return to England.
In his official statement after the incident, Hannah described
the next 10 minutes with characteristic understatement.
I got my hands rather burned in my face fighting the fire.
I almost passed out once or twice with the smoke, but used

(11:10):
my oxygen mask to get some cleanair.
When I got the fire under control, I went forward to the
pilot to see if he was all right.
In reality, Hannah was fighting for his life and the life of his
pilot and conditions almost beyond imagination.
The Hampton, already difficult to maneuver under normal
conditions, was severely damaged. 1 Fuel tank was

(11:34):
ruptured and empty, causing asymmetric thrust from the
engines. Control cables had been damaged
by the fire, making the aircraftrespond sluggishly to inputs.
And all the while, Connor was flying over enemy territory,
where discovery by German night fighters would mean certain
destruction in their vulnerable state.

(11:55):
After 10 minutes of relentless effort, Hannah managed to
extinguish the worst of the fire.
His clothing was charred, his hands were badly burned, and his
face was blackened with soot andblistered from the heat.
He was suffering from smoke inhalation and was on the verge
of collapse from the combinationof exertion, pain, and oxygen

(12:16):
deprivation. But instead of resting or
tending to his injuries, Hannah dragged himself forward to the
pilot's position. Discovering that the navigator
had bailed out, Hannah, despite his burned hands, collected the
essential maps and navigation documents from the abandoned
station and brought them to Connor.
He then squeezed into the navigator's seat and despite his

(12:40):
injuries, began assisting with navigation for the return
journey. The flight back to England was a
nightmare of pain and uncertainty.
The damaged Hampton, flying on one good engine and 1 damaged 1
struggled to maintain altitude. Connor had to nurse the wounded
bomber across the North Sea, knowing that a ditching in the

(13:01):
cold waters would likely be fatal for both of them in their
exhausted and injured state. The North Sea in September was
treacherous, cold enough to cause hypothermia within minutes
of immersion, and often rough with autumn winds.
A controlled ditching would havebeen challenging in a fully
functional aircraft in their damaged state, it would likely

(13:22):
have been fatal. Both men knew this, adding
another layer of tension to the already desperate situation.
Throughout the three hour returnflight, Hannah remained
conscious and helpful despite his injuries.
He operated the front guns when required, maintained a lookout
for enemy aircraft and assisted with navigation.

(13:43):
Only when they finally crossed the English coast did he allow
himself to rest, slumping in hisseat from exhaustion and pain.
The journey took them over enemyoccupied territory, past German
anti aircraft batteries and through airspace that could have
been patrolled by night fighters.
Each minute brought new dangers,from the failing aircraft

(14:04):
systems to the constant threat of interception.
That they survived this gauntletwas testament to both Connors
piloting skills and Hannah's determination to keep the
aircraft flying. When they finally reached RAF
Scampton, Connor found that the damage to the aircraft was so
severe that normal landing was questionable.

(14:25):
He radioed ahead and the airfield prepared for a crash
landing with fire crews and ambulances standing by.
Despite the damage, Connor managed to bring the Hampton Inn
for a rough but survivable landing.
The landing itself was a harrowing experience, with
damaged control surfaces, asymmetric power, and uncertain

(14:47):
structural integrity. Connor had to use all his skill
to keep the aircraft level as itapproached the runway.
The touchdown was hard, causing further damage to the already
compromised airframe, but the Hampton held together long
enough for them to come to a stop.
As the aircraft taxi to a stop, ground crew rushed forward to

(15:07):
assist, they were shocked by what they found inside.
The rear section of the bomber was charred beyond recognition,
with melted aluminum, burned equipment and the unmistakable
signs of an inferno that should have destroyed the aircraft.
And there was Hannah, barely conscious but still at his post,
his uniform and tatters, his hands and face severely burned.

(15:31):
One ground crewman, leading aircraft man Peter Jenkins,
later recalled the scene. When we got the Hatch open, we
couldn't believe anyone had survived in there.
The inside of the aircraft looked like a furnace that had
been allowed to cool. Everything was charred, melted
or burned away. Then we saw the wireless

(15:51):
operator, still in his position but barely conscious.
His hands were raw meat. His face was blistered and
blackened. But when we reached him, he
tried to stand up on his own. I've never seen anything like
it. It was as if he'd been through
hell and come back. Medical personnel immediately
took Hannah to the base hospital, where doctors treated

(16:13):
his extensive burns and smoke inhalation.
His injuries were severe enough to warrant evacuation to a
specialized hospital facility, where he underwent several weeks
of painful treatment. The medical treatment available
for burns in 1940 was primitive by modern standards.
Sulfa drugs were used to preventinfection, but antibiotics were

(16:36):
still in their infancy. Pain management relied heavily
on morphine, which had its own risks and side effects.
Physical therapy was limited, and the understanding of
psychological trauma from such experiences was rudimentary at
best. Hannah's burns were primarily
second and third degree, affecting his hands, face, and

(16:58):
neck where he had been most exposed to the flames.
The damage to his lungs from smoke and chemical inhalation
was harder to treat, and it was this internal injury that would
ultimately prove most debilitating in the long term.
The full extent of Hannah's heroism didn't become clear
until Connor filed his after action report.

(17:18):
After interviewing both surviving crew members and
examining the damaged aircraft, RAF leadership was astounded by
what the young wireless operatorhad accomplished.
Connor's report was unequivocal.Without Sergeant Hannah's
actions, the aircraft would certainly have been lost.
His courage in remaining aboard when he could have parachuted to

(17:39):
safety, and his determination infighting the fire despite severe
injuries directly resulted in saving both the aircraft and my
life. I have never witnessed such a
display of selfless courage. Connor would later expand on
this initial assessment writing.I want to make it absolutely
clear that I owe my life entirely to Sergeant Hannah.

(18:01):
The fire that followed the hit was so intense that the aircraft
should, by all normal expectations, have been lost.
That Hannah managed to fight andultimately defeat such a blaze
using only the most rudimentary equipment and finally his bare
hands is almost beyond belief. That he did so while suffering

(18:21):
terrible burns and smoke inhalation elevates his actions
to a level of courage I have never seen equaled.
The RAF Command quickly forwarded a recommendation for
the Victoria Cross, Britain's highest award for gallantry in
the face of the enemy. The recommendation was approved
with unusual speed and on October 10th, 1940, just weeks

(18:44):
after the incident, King George the 6th presented the Victoria
Cross to Sergeant John Hannah had a ceremony at Buckingham
Palace. The ceremony itself was a solemn
affair conducted while Britain was in the midst of the Blitz.
German bombing raids were striking London nightly.
Hannah, still recovering from his injuries, was accompanied by

(19:05):
his parents to Buckingham Palace.
The king, personally affected bythe young airman's courage,
spoke with Hannah for several minutes after presenting the
medal, asking detailed questionsabout his experience.
Hannah's citation for the Victoria Cross read in part in
an attack on enemy barge concentrations at Antwerp.

(19:26):
Sergeant Hannah's aircraft was severely damaged and filled with
smoke, and the bombs detonated in the floor of the wireless
operator's compartment was blownaway.
The rear gunner and navigator bailed out.
Sergeant Hannah could have done likewise, but he remained to
fight the fire with two extinguishers, beating at the
flames with his logbook. When these were empty, he then

(19:49):
discovered that the navigator had left his oxygen supply on
and had been using his own mask,which he had to remove several
times in order to obtain breathable air.
Eventually he succeeded in extinguishing the fire and
returned to his post. He then assisted the pilot to
identify the target area and, inspite of his severe burns,

(20:11):
continued to perform his duties until the aircraft returned to
its base and safely landed. By his outstanding courage,
presence of mind and devotion toduty, Sergeant Hannah set an
example in keeping with the highest traditions of the Royal
Air Force. At 18 years and 330 days old,
Hannah became the youngest recipient of the Victoria Cross

(20:34):
in the Royal Air Force during World War Two and one of the
youngest in British military history.
The British press immediately seized on Hannah's story.
In the dark days of 1940, with Britain standing alone against
Nazi Germany and nightly bombingraids striking cities across the
country, positive news was scarce.

(20:56):
Hannah's extraordinary courage provided exactly the kind of
inspirational story the nation needed.
Newspapers across the country carried his photograph in
details of his heroism, with headlines proclaiming teen
airmen's incredible courage. And the boy hero of the RAF,
Hannah himself was uncomfortablewith the attention.

(21:16):
Like many genuine heroes, he struggled to reconcile his own
experience of simply doing what needed to be done with the
public perception of extraordinary heroism.
In a rare interview given while recovering in hospital, he said.
I don't know why everyone is making such a fuss.
The aircraft was on fire so I put it out.

(21:38):
Anyone would have done the same.This modesty was characteristic
of Hannah and reflected both hispersonality and his working
class Scottish background, whereunderstatement and self
deprecation were cultural values.
His parents, speaking to reporters outside Buckingham
Palace after the investiture ceremony, expressed pride in

(21:59):
their son, but also emphasized that they had raised him to do
his duty and weren't surprised by his actions.
Hannah's story didn't end with this remarkable act of heroism.
His injuries, particularly the severe damage to his lungs from
smoke inhalation, left him with permanent health problems.
Despite his determination to return to operational flying,

(22:21):
medical officers declared him unfit for further combat duties.
This was a devastating blow to the young airmen.
Like many decorated servicemen, Hannah felt a strong desire to
return to his unit and continue serving alongside his comrades.
The decision to ground him permanently caused significant
psychological distress, adding amental burden to his already

(22:45):
serious physical injuries. Instead, Hannah was assigned to
ground based training roles, where he used his experience to
instruct new wireless operators and air Gunners.
His presence was a powerful inspiration to the young men
preparing for combat missions, one trainee later recalled.
When Hannah spoke, everyone listened.

(23:07):
Here was someone who had been through the fire, literally, and
survived. When he told you something about
combat conditions, you believed it.
As an instructor, Hannah was meticulous and demanding,
insisting on the highest standards from his trainees.
He emphasized the importance of preparation, situational

(23:28):
awareness and quick thinking, qualities that had saved his own
life over Antwerp. While some instructors sugar
coated the realities of combat, Hannah was known for his blunt
honesty about the dangers awaiting young airmen over enemy
territory. His fellow instructors noticed
the toll that his injuries were taking, one colleague, Flight

(23:49):
Lieutenant David Wilson, later wrote.
Hannah never complained, but youcould see the pain he was in,
especially on damp days when hisburns would trouble him.
His breathing was always laboredand he tired easily, but he
drove himself relentlessly, determined to prepare as many
young men as possible for what they would face in combat.

(24:11):
Hannah's health continued to deteriorate, however.
The damage to his lungs from thetoxic smoke he had inhaled
during the fire left him vulnerable to respiratory
infections. In 1943, just three years after
his heroic actions, he was medically discharged from the
RAF due to tuberculosis, likely exacerbated by his weakened

(24:33):
lungs. Tuberculosis was a particularly
cruel additional burden for someone already suffering from
respiratory damage. The disease, caused by bacterial
infection, attacks the lungs andcan spread to other parts of the
body. Treatment in the 1940s was
limited primarily to rest and isolation in sanatoriums where

(24:55):
patients might spend months or years hoping for recovery.
The antibiotics that would laterrevolutionize TB treatment were
not yet widely available. Returning to civilian life was
not easy for the young war hero.His health problems limited his
employment options, and he struggled financially.

(25:15):
The government provided some assistance, but it was
inadequate for his needs. Hannah took a job as a clerk
with a manufacturing company in his native Glasgow, but his
declining health made regular work increasingly difficult.
Hannah's situation reflected A broader issue facing many
decorated veterans, the disconnect between public

(25:36):
adulation and practical support.While the nation celebrated his
courage, the systems to support severely injured servicemen were
inadequate. The Victoria Cross came with a
small annuity, but this was insufficient to compensate for
Hannah's inability to maintain full time employment due to his
service related disabilities. Despite these challenges, Hannah

(25:59):
married in 1945, beginning a family while knowing that his
prognosis was poor. His wife Janet, became his
primary caregiver as his health continued to decline.
In a letter to a former RAF colleague, Hannah wrote.
Janet has been my rock through all of this.
Without her, I think I would have given up long ago.

(26:22):
She never complaints about the burden I have become, though I
know it must be terrible for herto watch.
My health failed day by day. The tuberculosis, compounded by
his original injuries, progressed relentlessly.
Hospital stays became more frequent, and prolonged
treatments, including experimental procedures,

(26:42):
provided temporary relief at best.
By early 1947, Hannah was confined to bed most of the
time, his once robust frame wasted by disease, his breathing
shallow and painful. In June 1947, not yet 26 years
old, Flight Sergeant John HannahVC died of tuberculosis at his

(27:03):
home in Paisley. His funeral was attended by
high-ranking RAF officers and representatives of the King, a
final recognition of his extraordinary courage and
sacrifice. The funeral procession wound
through the streets of Paisley, lined with silent crowds paying
their respects. The RAF provided a guard of

(27:24):
honor and a flight of Spitfires performed the missing man
formation overhead, a poignant tribute to a young man who had
given everything in service to his country.
Hannah was buried with full military honors, his coffin
draped with the Union Flag. His Victoria Cross placed the
topic for the ceremony before being returned to his widow.

(27:45):
After his death, Hannah's Victoria Cross was presented to
the RAF Museum in Hendon, where it remains on display today.
A testament to the extraordinarycourage of an ordinary young man
who, when faced with the ultimate test, chose duty over
self preservation. Hannah's legacy lived on in
various ways. In 1949, the RAF established the

(28:08):
John Hannah Trophy, awarded annually to the most outstanding
wireless operator slash air gunner and training.
His former squadron, 83 Squadron, maintained a memorial
to him at their base until the unit was eventually disbanded.
In his hometown of Paisley, the street was named Hannah Ave. in
his honor, and a plaque commemorating his achievements

(28:30):
was placed at the local town hall.
Perhaps more significantly, Hannah's story became part of
RAF training materials used to illustrate the core values of
the service. Courage, integrity and Service
Before Self. New recruits were taught about
Hannah's actions as an example of what it meant to be part of
the Royal Air Force, a traditionof selfless courage that

(28:53):
transcended rank, age or background.
What makes Hannah's story so compelling is not just the
physical courage he displayed, but the moral choice he made in
that burning aircraft over Antwerp.
When his comrades bailed out, a perfectly reasonable decision
given the circumstances, Hannah chose a different path.

(29:14):
He could have followed them to relative safety, but instead
chose to stay and fight against seemingly impossible odds.
It's important to note that no one would have blamed Hannah for
bailing out. His position was the most
heavily damaged by the anti aircraft shell, the fire was
most intense around his station and at 18, with his whole life

(29:37):
ahead of him, self preservation would have been the natural
instinct. His decision to stay and fight
wasn't the result of orders or expectations, but a personal
choice made in a split second under the most extreme
conditions imaginable. This combination of physical and
moral courage defines the highest ideals of military
service. Hannah wasn't trying to be a

(29:59):
hero. He was simply doing what he
believed was right, regardless of the personal cost, as he
later said when interviewed about his actions.
I just did what anyone would have done.
The aircraft was on fire, so I put it out, that's all.
That characteristically modest statement belies the

(30:19):
extraordinary nature of his actions.
Few people, when faced with a burning aircraft thousands of
feet above enemy territory, would choose to stay and fight
rather than bail out. Even fewer would have the
strength and determination to actually succeed in
extinguishing a major fuel fire with minimal equipment.

(30:39):
The technical aspects of what Hannah accomplished are worth
examining in more detail. Aircraft fires are among the
most dangerous and difficult to combat.
The combination of aviation fuel, electrical systems,
hydraulic fluids, and magnesium components creates a volatile
environment where conventional firefighting techniques may be

(31:01):
ineffective or even counterproductive.
The Hampton bombers constructionincluded significant amounts of
magnesium alloy, a material chosen for its lightweight but
notorious for its flammability. Once ignited, magnesium burns at
extremely high temperatures and cannot be extinguished with
conventional means. In fact, water makes magnesium

(31:24):
fires worse. That Hannah managed to control a
fire involving such materials ina confined space with limited
equipment is a testament to bothhis determination and his
ingenuity. Hannah's story also highlights
the extreme youth of many who served in World War 2.
At 18, Hannah was barely an adult by modern standards, yet

(31:47):
he showed a maturity and sense of duty that would be remarkable
at any age. His generation was thrust into
global conflict at an age when today's youth might be starting
college or their first jobs. They grew up fast, facing
responsibilities and decisions that most of us can scarcely
imagine. The psychological aspects of

(32:08):
Hannah's decision are fascinating to consider.
What goes through someone's mindin those split seconds when they
must decide between personal safety and a dangerous duty?
Hannah never elaborated much on his thinking, but his actions
speak volumes. He saw a problem, the fire, and
focused entirely on solving it, setting aside considerations of

(32:30):
personal safety in pursuit of the greater good.
In this way, Hannah embodied what psychologists call flow
state, a condition of complete absorption in a task where
external concerns fall away and only the challenge at hand
matters. Under the most extreme
conditions imaginable, Hannah achieved the kind of terrible
focus, directing all his energy and attention to fighting the

(32:54):
fire that threatened to kill himand his pilot.
This psychological state is not unique to combat, but appears in
various high stress environmentswhere individuals perform at
levels that seem superhuman. Mountain climbers describe
similar experiences during particularly dangerous a sense.
Emergency room doctors report entering this state during

(33:16):
complex life saving procedures. It represents the human minds
remarkable capacity to focus resources precisely where
they're needed in moments of crisis.
The physical ordeal Hannah endured is equally remarkable.
The pain from his burns must have been excruciating, yet he
continued to function effectively.

(33:37):
Medical experts who later reviewed his case suggested that
his youth in excellent physical condition contributed to his
survival, but also noted that extraordinary willpower must
have played a crucial role in allowing him to continue
functioning despite severe injuries.
Burns are among the most painfulinjuries humans can experience.

(33:57):
The nerve endings in the skin remain intact initially sending
constant pain signals to the brain.
Each movement, each contact withanything, produces waves of
agony. That Hannah could continue
performing complex tasks while suffering second and third
degree burns speaks to a level of pain tolerance and
determination that few individuals possess.

(34:20):
The smoke inhalation Hannah suffered would have further
complicated his efforts. The toxic components of smoke
from burning aviation fuel, electrical insulation and
aircraft components would have caused immediate irritation to
his lungs and Airways, making each breath painful.
The reduced oxygen content of smoke filled air would have

(34:41):
induced hypoxia oxygen deprivation, affecting his
cognitive functions and physicalcapabilities.
Fighting through these effects to maintain the clarity of
thought needed to combat the fire effectively represents yet
another dimension of his extraordinary achievement.
Flight Sergeant John Hannah's story reminds us that heroism

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often comes from unexpected quarters, not from the
physically imposing or naturallyaggressive, but from ordinary
people who, when tested, reveal extraordinary qualities of
courage, determination and selflessness.
Flying Officer Connor, who owed his life to Hannah's bravery,
remained in the RAF after the war, eventually rising to the

(35:24):
rank of Group Captain. Throughout his career, he spoke
frequently about Hannah's actions that night over Antwerp,
ensuring that the young wirelessoperators courage was not
forgotten. In his retirement memoirs,
Connor wrote, Though I had a long career and saw much action
after that night, nothing ever compared to witnessing Hannah's

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determination to save our aircraft.
It was the purest example of courage I ever encountered and
it has shaped my understanding of human potential ever since.
The two other crew members who bailed out, Flight Sergeant
McFarlane and Sergeant Hui, bothsurvived the war as prisoners of
the Germans. After their release in 1945,

(36:07):
they learned of Hannah's actionsand his subsequent death.
McFarlane, in particular, was profoundly affected by the
knowledge that the youngest member of their crew had shown
such extraordinary courage. In a letter to Hannah's widow
after the war, McFarlane wrote. Not a day goes by that I don't
think of John and what he did that night.

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While I make no apologies for bailing out, the situation
seemed truly hopeless. I am in awe of his courage and
staying to fight that fire. Please know that those of us who
served with him will never forget his sacrifice.
In the years since his death, Hannah has been remembered in
various ways. A street in his native Glasgow

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bears his name. The RAF includes his story in
their training materials as an example of the services Core
Values in Action and at RAF Scampton, where he was based
with 83 Squadron. A memorial plaque commemorates
his actions. In 2000, ABBC documentary titled
The Youngest VC explored Hannah's story, interviewing

(37:12):
surviving colleagues and family members who provided new
insights into his character and the impact of his experiences.
His nephew, Alan Hannah, described finding letters his
uncle had written from the hospital while recovering from
his injuries. They were remarkable for their
ordinariness. Here was a young man who had
just performed one of the most courageous acts imaginable,

(37:34):
riding home about the hospital food and asking about family
news. Not a word about what he done or
the pain he must have been in. That was typical of my uncle's
generation. They just didn't make a fuss.
Military historians have studiedHannah's actions as an example
of what human beings are capableof under extreme circumstances.

(37:56):
His case has been included in studies of combat psychology,
exploring the factors that enable some individuals to
function effectively in situations where others might
panic or freeze. These analysis suggests that
Hannah's success in fighting thefire resulted from a combination
of training temperament in an unusual capacity to maintain

(38:17):
focus under extreme stress. Perhaps the most fitting tribute
comes from Flying Officer Connor, the pilot whose life
Hannah saved. Years after the war, Connor was
asked about the events of that night over Antwerp.
His voice still filled with emotion, He said simply, I owe
my life to that boy. He had a hundred chances to save

(38:39):
himself and leave me to my fate.Instead, he stayed and fought
with everything he had. John Hannah didn't just save my
life that night, he showed me what true courage looks like.
I've tried to live up to his example every day since.
In 2016, a historian discovered Hannah's original logbook, the

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very one he had used to beat at the flames, in a private
collection. The book, partially burned and
water damaged, contained entriesin Hannah's neat handwriting up
to the day before the fateful mission.
The final pages were charred andunreadable, tangible evidence of
his desperate battle against theflames.

(39:20):
The logbook was donated to the RAF Museum, where it joined
Hannah's Victoria Cross in a display honoring his memory.
This tangible connection to Hannah's act of courage provides
a powerful reminder of the reality behind the legend.
It wasn't just a story in the history books or a citation read
at a ceremony, but a desperate struggle by a young man

(39:42):
determined to save his aircraft and his comrade, using whatever
came to hand, even his own personal records.
In 2018, on the centenary of theRoyal Air Force, a special
service at Westminster Abbey included a reading of Hannah's
Victoria Cross citation, recognizing his actions as
exemplifying the spirit and values of the service throughout

(40:05):
its history. Among those attending was
Hannah's great niece, who had never known her famous relative
but had grown up hearing storiesof his courage.
It's strange, she told reportersafterward, to be connected to
someone who did something so extraordinary.
We're an ordinary family, not particularly brave or remarkable

(40:26):
in any way. And yet, when it mattered most,
Uncle John found this incrediblecourage within himself.
I think there's something hopeful in that, the idea that
ordinary people can rise to extraordinary heights when
circumstances demand it. That perhaps is the most
important legacy of John Hannah's story.

(40:47):
Not just the specific details ofhis heroism, impressive though
they are, but the broader message about human potential.
His actions remind us that within ordinary people, even the
most unlikely among us, may lie the capacity for extraordinary
courage when the moment demands it.
In a world that often seems to prefer cynicism to idealism,

(41:09):
Hannah's story stands as a reminder that genuine heroism
exists. It's not the product of
superhuman abilities or special training, but of the innate
human capacity to transcend self-interest and service of
something greater, whether that's saving a comrade,
protecting 1's country, or simply doing what is right
regardless of the cost. That's all for today.

(41:32):
On WW2 Stories, I'm Steve Matthews, reminding you that
history isn't just about grand strategies and sweeping
movements, but about individual human beings making choices of
extraordinary consequence under the most extreme circumstances.
Until next time, stay curious and keep exploring the past.