Major General James Harold Cannan

Service number VX89075
Ranks Held Brigadier General, Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel, Temporary Brigadier General
Birth Date 1882-08-29
Birth Place Australia: Queensland, North Queensland, Townsville
Death Date 1976-05-23
Death Place Australia: Queensland, Brisbane
Final Rank Major General
Service Australian Imperial Force
Units
  • 8th Infantry
  • 3rd Australian Division
  • New Zealand and Australian Division
  • 11th Australian Field Artillery Brigade
  • 11th Australian Infantry Brigade
  • 15th Australian Infantry Battalion
  • 11 Inf.Bde.H.Q.
Places
Conflicts/Operations
  • First World War, 1914-1918
  • Second World War, 1939-1945
Gazettes Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1918-11-07
Published in London Gazette in 1917-06-01
Published in London Gazette in 1918-06-03
Published in London Gazette in 1919-07-11
Published in London Gazette in 1918-05-28
Published in London Gazette in 1917-12-28
Published in London Gazette in 1919-06-03
Published in London Gazette in 1918-12-31
Published in London Gazette in 1915-11-05
Published in London Gazette in 1919-04-05
Published in London Gazette in 1915-11-08
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1919-07-23
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1918-10-24
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1916-01-27
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1916-01-27
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1919-10-30
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1919-09-15
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1918-04-18
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1919-05-23
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1917-10-04

Collection items

    Media


    MELBOURNE, 1942-03-28. THE 6 DIVISION RETURNS. AT THE MARCH OF 17TH BDE (L TO R) GEN SIR T. ...

    MELBOURNE, VIC. 1944-03-31. GUESTS AT COCKTAILS BEFORE A FORMAL DINNER IN HONOUR OF NX35000 ...

    MELBOURNE, VIC. 1944-03-31. GUESTS AT COCKTAILS BEFORE A FORMAL DINNER IN HONOUR OF NX35000 ...

    MELBOURNE, VIC. 1944-03-31. AN INFORMAL GROUP OF GUESTS AT COCKTAILS BEFORE A FORMAL DINNER GIVEN ...

    MELBOURNE, VIC. 1944-03-31. AN INFORMAL GROUP OF GUESTS AT COCKTAILS BEFORE A FORMAL DINNER GIVEN ...

    HOWARD SPRINGS, NT. 1944-08-21. THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF, ALLIED LAND FORCES, SOUTH WEST PACIFIC ...

    HOWARD SPRINGS, NT. 1944-08-21. THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF, ALLIED LAND FORCES, SOUTH WEST PACIFIC ...

    HOWARD SPRINGS, NT. 1944-08-21. THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF, ALLIED LAND FORCES, SOUTH WEST PACIFIC ...

    HUMPTY-DOO, NT. 1944-08-21. THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF, ALLIED LAND FORCES, SOUTH WEST PACIFIC AREA, ...

    BERRY SPRINGS, NT. 1944-08-21. VX1 GENERAL SIR THOMAS BLAMEY, GBE, KCB, CMG, DSO, ED, COMMANDER ...

Rolls

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    3rd Australian Division
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Colonel

  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    11th Australian Infantry Brigade
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Temporary Brigadier General
    London Gazette
    03 June 1919 on page 6822 at position 5
    Commonwealth Gazette
    15 September 1919 on page 1371 at position 13

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    11th Australian Infantry Brigade
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Colonel

  • First World War Embarkation Roll:

    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant Colonel

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    15th Australian Infantry Battalion
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant Colonel

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    8th Infantry
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant Colonel

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    New Zealand and Australian Division
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Colonel

  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    11th Australian Infantry Brigade
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Temporary Brigadier General
    London Gazette
    31 December 1918 on page 15225 at position 15
    Commonwealth Gazette
    23 May 1919 on page 878 at position 3

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    11th Australian Field Artillery Brigade
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Colonel

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    11th Australian Infantry Brigade
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Colonel

  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    11th Australian Infantry Brigade
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Temporary Brigadier General
    London Gazette
    01 June 1917 on page 5419 at position 8
    Commonwealth Gazette
    04 October 1917 on page 2622 at position 30

  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    11th Australian Infantry Brigade
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Temporary Brigadier General
    London Gazette
    03 June 1918 on page 6454 at position 2
    Commonwealth Gazette
    07 November 1918 on page 2110 at position 6

  • First World War Nominal Roll:

    Unit
    11 Inf.Bde.H.Q.
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Brigadier General

  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    11th Australian Infantry Brigade
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Temporary Brigadier General
    London Gazette
    05 April 1919 on page 4525 at position 10
    Commonwealth Gazette
    23 July 1919 on page 1169 at position 12

  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    11th Australian Infantry Brigade
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Temporary Brigadier General
    London Gazette
    11 July 1919 on page 8826 at position 14
    Commonwealth Gazette
    30 October 1919 on page 1653 at position 15

  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    11th Australian Infantry Brigade
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Temporary Brigadier General
    London Gazette
    28 December 1917 on page 13563 at position 9
    Commonwealth Gazette
    18 April 1918 on page 841 at position 13

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    11th Australian Field Artillery Brigade
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Colonel

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    15th Australian Infantry Battalion
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant Colonel

  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    15th Australian Infantry Battalion
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant Colonel
    London Gazette
    05 November 1915 on page 11003 at position 3
    Commonwealth Gazette
    27 January 1916 on page 157 at position 1

  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    11th Australian Infantry Brigade
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Temporary Brigadier General
    London Gazette
    08 November 1915 on page 11025 at position 4
    Commonwealth Gazette
    27 January 1916 on page 157 at position 29

  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    11th Australian Infantry Brigade
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Temporary Brigadier General
    London Gazette
    28 May 1918 on page 6200 at position 10
    Commonwealth Gazette
    24 October 1918 on page 2055 at position 26

Timeline

Date of birth 29 August 1882
Date and unit at appointment (Officers) 27 March 1903 Commissioned asa second Lieutenant in the 1st Queensland (Moreton) Regiment.
Date promoted 27 November 1903 Promoted to first lieutenant.
Date promoted 24 September 1904 Promoted to captain.
Date promoted 14 August 1911 Promoted to major.
Other units 01 July 1912 Transferred to the 8th Infantry (Oxley) Battalion and took command of it.
Date promoted 09 May 1914 Promoted to lieutenant colonel.
Other units 1914-08-05 - 1914-08-31 Appointed to command the Lytton Defences.
Date and unit at appointment (Officers) 23 September 1914 Appointed to the AIF, commanding the 15th Battalion.
Date of enlistment 27 September 1914
Date of embarkation 22 December 1914
Date of honour or award 1915 For his part in the Gallipoli campaign, he was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB).
Other 25 April 1915 Arrived at Gallipoli in the evening.
Other 08 August 1915 Lieutenant Colonel Cannan's brother, Major D H Cannan, killed in the 15th Battalion's attack on the Sari Bair Range.
Other 1915-10 Evacuated sick, rejoining the 15th Battalion in Egypt.
Other 1916-06 The 15th Battalion moved to France and saw action at Poziers and Mouquet Farm.
Other 30 August 1916 Appointed to command the 11th Infantry Brigade. Made Colonel and Temporary Brigadier General.
Date of recommendation honour or award 30 September 1916
Date promoted 24 June 1917 Made a Brevet Colonel.
Date of honour or award 1918 Awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for the battles of August and September 1918.
Date of recommendation honour or award 04 March 1918
Date of honour or award 03 June 1918 Companion of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (CMG).
Date of recommendation honour or award 30 September 1918
Other units 1918-10-01 - 1920-06-30 Commanded the 2/15th Infantry Battalion.
Date of recommendation honour or award 16 October 1918
Date of honour or award 05 April 1919 Belgiam Croix de Guerre.
Date returned to Australia 22 August 1919
Date returned to Australia 22 August 1919
Other 13 December 1919 Appointment to the AIF terminated.
Other 1920-04-01 - 1923-03-21 Aide de Camp to the Govenor General.
Date promoted 01 July 1920 Appointed honorary brigadier general.
Date promoted 01 July 1920 Promoted to colonel.
Other 1920-07-01 - 1921-05-30 Commanded the 2nd Infantry Brigade.
Other 1921-05-01 - 1925-04-30 Commanded the 11th Mixed Brigade.
Other 30 April 1925 Transferred to the unattached list.
Other 27 May 1940 Appointed Inspector General of Administration at the Department of Defence.
Date promoted 07 July 1940 Appointed temporary major general and took over command of the 2nd Division.
Other 24 October 1940 Became Quartermaster General and appointed a member of the Military Board.
Other 1943-09 General Thomas Blamey nominated Cannan for a Knight of the British Empire (KBE) but it was refused.
Other 1946 - 1947 Director of the United Nations Relief and Rehabillitation Administration in the South West Pacific.
Other 1948 - 1957 Director of the Services Canteen Trust.
Other 1950 - 1951 Director of the Queensland division of the Australian Red Cross Society.
Date of death 23 May 1976

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