James Cannan

Australian general

Major General James Harold Cannan, (29 August 1882 – 23 May 1976) was an Australian Army brigadier general in the First World War and the Quartermaster General during the Second World War. Cannan assumed command of the 15th Battalion in 1914 and landed with it at Anzac Cove on the evening of Anzac Day, 25 April 1915. The 15th Infantry Battalion garrisoned Quinn's Post, one of the most exposed parts of the Anzac perimeter, with Cannan as post commander. Later, Cannan led his battalion into action again on the Western Front at the Battle of Pozières and Battle of Mouquet Farm. He commanded the 11th Infantry Brigade at the Battle of Messines, the Battle of Broodseinde, and during the Hundred Days Offensive. Between the wars Cannan worked at Insurance Office of Australia, becoming the manager of its Sydney office in 1932. He remained active in the Militia until he was placed on the unattached list in 1925. During the Second World War, Cannan was recalled to duty in 1940, first as Inspector General of Administration, and then as Quartermaster General. During the course of the war he visited operational areas to prepare and plan the logistical support of operations. Despite his immense responsibility and achievements, he received little recognition. He retired in 1946 as a major general, and was the last surviving Australian general of the First World War before his death in 1976.

James Harold Cannan was born in Townsville, Queensland on 29 August 1882, the sixth child of John Kearsey Cannan, a Brisbane bank manager and his wife Elizabeth Christian née Hodgson. He was educated at Brisbane Central Boys' State School and Brisbane Grammar School. James was employed by a firm of hardware merchants, and later worked for seven years for New Zealand Insurance. He was chief agent at the Queensland branch of the Patriotic Assurance Company and then from 1910 was the state manager of the Insurance Office of Australia. Cannan married Eileen Clair Ranken on 12 December 1911. Their marriage produced no children. Cannan was commissioned as a lieutenant in the 1st Queensland (Moreton) Regiment on 27 March 1903. He transferred to the 9th Infantry Regiment on 1 July 1903. He was promoted to captain on 24 September 1907 and major on 14 August 1911. On 1 July 1912, he transferred to the 8th Infantry (Oxley Battalion). He took command of the battalion and was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 9 May 1914.

When the First World War broke out, Cannan was appointed to command the Lytton Fixed Defences, holding this post from 5 to 31 August 1914. He joined the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on 23 September 1914 with the rank of lieutenant colonel, and assumed command of the 15th Battalion. the Queensland and Tasmanian battalion in Colonel John Monash's 4th Infantry Brigade. They embarked for the Middle East from Melbourne on the transport HMAT Ceramic on 22 December 1914. The 15th Infantry Battalion arrived at Anzac Cove on the evening of Anzac Day, 25 April 1915. Cannan was sent with half of his battalion to fill the gap between the 2nd and 3rd Infantry Brigades. Moving in the dark through the thick scrub of the Razorback, the 15th found in the scrub the empty positions that it was sent to fill. The 15th Infantry Battalion was soon switched to Quinn's Post, one of the most exposed parts of the Anzac perimeter, with Cannan becoming post commander. In the Battle of Sari Bair on 8 August 1915, the 15th Infantry Battalion suffered heavily, having seven officers killed—including Cannan's older brother, Major D. H. Cannan—and most of the rest wounded. Cannan became ill and was evacuated from Anzac on 4 October 1915, and transferred to hospitals on Lemnos and Malta, before being sent to the 3rd London General Hospital in England.

Cannan resumed command of the 15th Battalion in Egypt on 21 January 1916. It departed Alexandria for Marseilles on 1 June 1916, to join the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front. On the night of 8 August 1916, the 15th Infantry Battalion launched an attack on the German trench in front of Mouquet Farm known as Park Lane. Cannan's men captured their objectives, and indeed went beyond them in some places. However, the Suffolk Regiment on his flank was mown down by German machine gun fire and Cannan was compelled to withdraw part of his force to a more defensible position. On 30 August 1916, Cannan was appointed to command the 11th Infantry Brigade by Major General John Monash, now commander of the 3rd Division. At this time the 3rd Division—of which the 11th Infantry Brigade was part—was training on the Salisbury Plain in England. Cannan returned to France with the 11th Infantry Brigade in November 1916, His citation read:quote|Commander of the 11th Australian Infantry Brigade since September 1916. This officer has served continuously since the outbreak of war and received the CB upon the landing in Gallipoli. He commanded a battalion in Gallipoli, Egypt and France until September 1916. He had held a brigade command throughout the offensive period of 1917 taking part in the battle of Messines June 1917. Subsequently he commanded the series of operations which led to the capture of the Windmill on 31 July 1917 and also commanded the right brigade of this division in the highly successful battle for the Broodesinde Ridge on 4 October 1917, again taking part in the battle of 12 October 1917. His services as a brigade commander have throughout been extinguished [sic] by great energy, ability and leadership. In July, it was selected from the brigades of the 3rd Division to participate in the Battle of Hamel. The 11th Brigade went on to participate in the Battle of Amiens and the Hundred Days Offensive. His citation read:

quote|For his very distinguished services in command of his brigade forming the right flank of the attack of the divisional attack at Bony on 29 September – 1 October 1918. His clear insight into an extremely difficult tactical situation, coupled with the energy and resolution with which he directed the operations of his brigade were of the greatest value in forcing the enemy to give up his hope of holding the Hindenburg Line. General Cannan's conduct and skill throughout the last Somme campaign gave a conspicuous example of the soldierly merit to his brigade and to the division. The great difficulties in establishing and maintaining communications rendered the action at Bony a matter of personal leadership and in this General Cannan proved himself the right man in the right place. his citation noting his "tenacity, thoroughness and efficient organisation", "his splendid qualities of leadership", and his "personal gallantry." He was mentioned in despatches another five times.

Cannan studied insurance practice in London under the Army Education Scheme for two months before embarking for Australia on HMAT Ancises on 22 August 1919. He arrived back in Australia on 17 October 1919 and his appointment to the AIF was terminated on 13 December 1919. Cannan had been made a brevet colonel in the Militia on 24 September 1917 but he was entitled to keep his AIF rank of brigadier general as an honorary rank. Because most Australian soldiers were Militia, the government decided in 1940 that there should be "direct Militia representation on the Military Board at Army Headquarters." Cannan volunteered for the Second Australian Imperial Force and was allotted the serial number VX89075 on 2 September 1942. As well as supporting the Australian Army, Cannan was also responsible for providing a broad range of goods and services to the Americans. In no other theatre of war was local procurement of supplies by US forces as extensive or important as in the South West Pacific. Australian Reverse Lend Lease came to USD $1.1 billion, representing 13% of all reciprocal aid to the United States. Such figures understate the value of Australian aid, for every ton of supplies procured in Australia meant a ton that did not have to be shipped across the Pacific Ocean. This required the same shipping space as two tons of supplies shipped across in the Atlantic Ocean, the distance there being half as great. Cannan was responsible for rationing the American forces in Australia until the American Quartermaster Corps felt capable of taking over the function in 1943. When requirements to support the British Pacific Fleet were piled on top of American demands and an increasing tight Army manpower situation, Cannan protested the "lavishness and extravagance which characterised US demands whilst the Australian services' demands were being subjected to rigid scrutiny and economies", citing examples, and urged that economies be made on goods and services supplied to Allied countries. However the government was reluctant to take any action that might not be welcomed by American military and political leaders. Nonetheless, Prime Minister John Curtin did successfully persuade General Douglas MacArthur to rationalise his use of Australian resources in order to provide accommodation for the British Pacific Fleet. Cannan travelled widely in the combat areas to see conditions at first hand. He visited New Guinea between 19 October and 21 December 1943 and in February and March 1944. In December 1949, the government changed and Blamey wrote to the new Prime Minister, Robert Menzies, once again recommending knighthoods for a number of his generals, including Cannan. All were accepted "except, for some inexplicable reason, for Cannan". Of Cannan, it was said that his "contribution to the defence of Australia was immense; his responsibility for supply, transport and works, a giant sized burden; his acknowledgement—nil". Cannan relinquished his appointment as Quartermaster General on 31 December 1945 and retired as a major general the next day. He remained an honorary colonel until 8 June 1953. His abilities as an administrator were still in demand. He was Director of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration in the South West Pacific from 1946 to 1947, of the Queensland division of the Australian Red Cross from 1950 to 1951, and of the Services Canteens Trust from 1948 to 1957. He was also a director of several companies. Survived by his wife Eileen, Cannan died on 23 May 1976. He became the last of Australia's Great War generals to pass away, and was cremated with full military honours.