George H. J Hanks was a Sick Bay attendant on board HMS Carnarvon, a First Class Cruiser during WW1 and his ship was a member of the British squadron that took part in the Battle of the Falkland Islands in December 1914. SBA Hanks wrote an account of the voyage of HMS Carnarvon in 1914 and 1915 in a Memoir written in a school exercise book that remained in the Hanks family until it was donated to the William Ready Division of Archives and Research Collections of the McMasterUniversity Library.


His grandson, Dr Robert Hanks, Ph. D. (History) has transcribed the hand written pages and annotated them with explanatory notes and we are most grateful to him for allowing the Memoir to be placed online.

Those interested in acquiring a hard copy of the SBA Hanks' memoir are invited to contact Dr. Hanks at: robert.hanks@utoronto.ca

INDEX

Abstract of the Memoir

Provenance and Methodology

HMS Carnarvon

The Text of the Diary with explanatory notes made by Dr Robert Hanks

The British Squadron

The German Squadron

Map of South American Waters

Map of the Battle of the Falklands

Excerpts from the Carnarvon's Night Order Book

Bibliography

Photo of George H Hanks on shore leave in Montreal