Gunner Vinstead Hannatt

Vinstead Hannatt was the son of Charles Sidney and Priscilla Margaret Hannatt, of Boyton, Suffolk.

Hannatt enlisted in the Royal Artillery (RA) and later served with 2nd (Oban) Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery RA.

He took part in the amphibious landings in Italy during September 1943, onboard a mine layer, HMS Abdiel.

Shortly before the men were due to disembark HMS Abdiel hit a mine, causing its own mines to detonate and splitting the ship in two. The ship sank in four minutes. Over twenty members of the battery died in the explosion including Gnr Hannatt.

Gnr Hannatt died on 10 September 1943, aged 20 years, and is now buried in Bari War Cemetery, Italy.

Headstone photograph courtesy of Bob Hilton.