Lieutenant Hugh Featherstone Cameron CANNELL
1st Duke of York's Lancers (Skinner's Horse) attached to 72 Squadron Royal Air Force

Date of birth: 8th August 1893
Date of death: 31st October 1918

Died of wounds aged 25
Commemorated on the Basra Memorial Panel 44
He was born at "Clevedon", Claremont Road, Twickenham in Middlesex on the 8th of August 1893 the only son of Cameron Corlett Cannell JP, an African merchant and accountant, and Eva Marion Henrietta (nee Money-Bright) later of the Literary Institute, Haig Street, Perth, Western Australia. He was christened with his sister Eva at St Anne’s Church, Bagshot on the 9th of September 1896.

He was educated at King’s School Canterbury from September 1907 to December 1908, where he won an Entrance Scholarship, before completing his education at the City of London School, University of London where he achieved a 2nd Class Degree in January 1911. He served as a member of the London University Officer Training Corps from January 1909 to the 12th of February 1911 and attended their annual camps in 1909 and 1910. He rose to the rank of Corporal and passed a signalling exam. On leaving his Commanding Officer wrote: - "Very keen and will make a good officer."

On leaving university he had intended to seek a place at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich but his family decided to move to Australia in 1911 and he went with them. He worked as a school master at Scotch College, a public school in the Claremont district of Perth. He also worked for two months in the clerical department of the Workers Homes Board in Perth and later as a farmer in Western Australia. While he was at Perth he studied for the entrance examinations for the Royal Garrison Artillery.

Just before the outbreak of war he applied for a commission in the Citizen Forces, expecting to be commissioned when war broke out but was unsuccessful so instead he enlisted at Black Boy Camp on the 19th of August 1914 as Gunner 3049 in the 4th Field Artillery Divisional Ammunition Column, Australian Imperial Force. It was recorded at his medical examination that he was 5 feet 9 1/2 inches tall with blue eyes and brown hair. He weighed 138lbs. On the 2nd of November 1914 he embarked aboard the transport “Medic” bound for Egypt. On the 13th of February 1915 he transferred to the 37th Battery, 2nd Australian Field Artillery Brigade and later served with the 8th Battery at Mena Camp in Egypt. He transferred to Brigade Headquarters on the 13th of March 1915. On the 13th of January 1915 he applied for a commission in the British Army and was discharged from the Australian Army on the 5th of April 1915.

He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers on the 7th of April 1915 and underwent further training with B Company, Training Depot Royal Engineers at Aldershot. He landed in France on the 1st of September 1915. He returned to the UK and joined the Royal Flying Corps at South Farnborough on the 20th of December 1915. He learnt to fly at the Military School at Farnborough and obtained his aero certificate (No.2533) on the 25th of February 1916 flying a Maurice Farman Shorthorn aircraft. On the 6th of March 1916 he was posted to 6 Reserve Squadron. In June 1916 he passed 28th in the examination for entrance to an Indian Training College. On the 13th of August 1916 he transferred to the General List, was promoted to Flying Officer and was posted to 49 Squadron on the same date. On the 18th of August he was posted to 17 Squadron based in Salonica but this order was cancelled on the 22nd of August and he was posted instead to 14 Squadron, based in the Middle East, on the 28th of August 1916.

He embarked at Devonport on board H.M.T. "Empress of Britain" on the 5th of September 1916 and arrived at Alexandria on the 17th of September. He joined 14 Squadron at their base at Ismailia on the 20th of September 1916. On the 21st of November 1916 he embarked at Port Said on board the SS "Kyber" in order to take up a cadetship at the Cadet College at Wellington College. He landed at Bombay and relinquished his rank on the 27th of November 1916. He began the course in December 1916. He applied for a regular commission in the Army on the 1st of December 1916. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on the unattached list of the Indian Army on the 18th of June 1917 to rank from the 29th of October 1915.

He transferred from the Unattached List on the 25th of June 1917, but later transferred again to the Royal Air Force and was posted to 72 Squadron based at Samarra on the 7th of February 1918. Early on the morning of the 27th of June 1918 he was flying SE5a B685 when he forced two enemy aircraft to land.

Soon after returning from a special mission to Persia he rejoined his squadron which was based at Kilfri in Mesopotamia. From the 23rd of October 1918 their mission was to protect the eastern flank of the British advance along the River Tigris prior to attacking Turkish positions at Fat-ha-Gorge. During the night of the 23rd/24th the British stormed the enemy positions and by morning they were pouring from their defences in an attempt to escape. Through the 24th and 25th the Turks were bombed and raked with fire from the British aircraft above. Although they began to surrender, this was patchy and the Royal Air Force continued to attack the remaining troops until they were all driven to surrender on the 30th of October with an armistice coming into affect on the 31st. Hugh Cannell was wounded whilst attacking hostile infantry on the 29th of October 1918 and died of his wounds 2 days later without regaining consciousness.

He was buried at Surgat but his grave was subsequently lost.

He is commemorated on the Australian War Memorial.

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