Major-General Sir Richard Hannay, KCB, OBE, DSO, is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist

John Buchan John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir (; 26 August 1875 – 11 February 1940) was a Scottish novelist, historian, and Unionist politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 15th since Canadian Confederation. After a brief legal career ...

and further made popular by the 1935

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

film '' The 39 Steps'' (and other later film adaptations), very loosely based on Buchan's 1915 novel of the same name. In his autobiography, ''Memory Hold-the-Door'', Buchan suggests that the character is based, in part, on

Edmund Ironside Edmund Ironside (30 November 1016; , ; sometimes also known as Edmund II) was King of the English from 23 April to 30 November 1016. He was the son of King Æthelred the Unready and his first wife, Ælfgifu of York. Edmund's reign was marred by ...

, from

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

, a

spy Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information (intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tangib ...

during the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...

Novels

By Buchan

Hannay appears in several novels as a major character, including: * '' The Thirty-Nine Steps'' (1915) * ''

Greenmantle ''Greenmantle'' is the second of five novels by John Buchan featuring the character Richard Hannay. It was first published in 1916 by Hodder & Stoughton, London. It is one of two Hannay novels set during the First World War, the other being ...

'' (1916) * ''

Mr Standfast ''Mr Standfast'' is the third of five Richard Hannay novels by John Buchan, first published in 1919 by Hodder & Stoughton, London. It is one of two Hannay novels set during the First World War, the other being '' Greenmantle'' (1916); Hannay's ...

'' (1919) * ''

The Three Hostages ''The Three Hostages'' is the fourth of five Richard Hannay novels by the Scottish author John Buchan, first published in 1924 by Hodder & Stoughton, London. Hannay had previously appeared in '' The Thirty Nine Steps'' (1915), his most famous ...

'' (1924) * ''

The Island of Sheep ''The Island of Sheep'' is a 1936 novel by the Scottish author John Buchan, the last of his novels to focus on his characters Richard Hannay and Sandy Arbuthnot. It was published in the United States under the title ''The Man from the Norlands ...

'' (1936) He also appears as a minor character in: * ''

The Courts of the Morning ''The Courts of the Morning'' is a 1929 adventure novel by John Buchan, featuring his character Sandy Arbuthnot. The prologue is narrated by Richard Hannay, so the novel is sometimes included in Buchan's Hannay series. The action is set in Oli ...

'' (1929) * ''

Sick Heart River ''Sick Heart River'' (1941) is a novel by Scottish author John Buchan set in Canada. It was published posthumously. The book was published in the United States under the title ''Mountain Meadow''. Plot summary Sir Edward Leithen is diagnosed w ...

'' (1940)

By other authors

Robert J. Harris has written ''The Thirty-One Kings'' (2017) which purports to be the beginning of a new series called "Richard Hannay Returns" about his adventures during World War II; however the next book in the series, ''Castle Macnab'' (2018), is set in the 1920s. In ''Combined Forces'' (1985), a humorous novel by Jack Smithers, Hannay teams up after World War II with the similar heroes "Sapper"s

Bulldog Drummond Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond is a fictional character, created by H. C. McNeile and published under his pen name "Sapper". Following McNeile's death in 1937, the novels were continued by Gerard Fairlie. Drummond is a First World War veteran who, ...

and

Dornford Yates Cecil William Mercer (7 August 1885 – 5 March 1960), known by his pen name Dornford Yates, was an English writer and novelist whose novels and short stories, some humorous (the ''Berry'' books), some Thriller (genre), thrillers (the ''Chandos ...

' Jonah Mansel. * ''Thirty-Nine Steps From Baker Street'' (J. R. Trtek, 2015, 978-1-51715-300-7)

Radio, film, television and theatre

Hannay has been portrayed in four film versions of ''The Thirty Nine Steps'' respectively, by actors

Robert Donat Friedrich Robert Donat (18 March 1905 – 9 June 1958) was an English actor. He is best remembered for his roles in Alfred Hitchcock's '' The 39 Steps'' (1935) and ''Goodbye, Mr. Chips'' (1939), winning for the latter the Academy Award for ...

(in the original and most famous

film adaptation A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dial ...

, directed by

in 1935),

Kenneth More Kenneth Gilbert More, Order of the British Empire#Current classes, CBE (20 September 1914 – 12 July 1982) was an English film and stage actor. Initially achieving fame in the comedy ''Genevieve (film), Genevieve'' (1953), he appeared in many ...

Robert Powell Robert Powell (; born 1 June 1944) is an English actor who is known for the title roles in ''Mahler'' (1974) and '' Jesus of Nazareth'' (1977), and for his portrayal of secret agent Richard Hannay in '' The Thirty Nine Steps'' (1978) and its ...

and

Rupert Penry-Jones Rupert William Penry-Jones (born 22 September 1970) is a British actor, known for his performances as Adam Carter in '' Spooks'', Clive Reader in ''Silk'', DI Joseph Chandler in ''Whitechapel'', and Mr Quinlan in the American horror series ''The ...

(in a 2008 BBC production). Powell reprised the role for the

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...

series '' Hannay'' (1988–1989).

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

portrayed Hannay in a radio play of ''The Thirty-Nine Steps'' in 1938, as did

Glenn Ford Gwyllyn Samuel Newton "Glenn" Ford (May 1, 1916 – August 30, 2006) was a Canadian-American actor who often portrayed ordinary men in unusual circumstances. Ford was most prominent during Classical Hollywood cinema, Hollywood's Golden Age as ...

in 1948 on ''Studio One'',

Herbert Marshall Herbert Brough Falcon Marshall (23 May 1890 – 22 January 1966) was an English stage, screen and radio actor who starred in many popular and well-regarded Hollywood films in the 1930s and 1940s. After a successful theatrical career in the Uni ...

on ''

Suspense Suspense is a state of mental uncertainty, anxiety, being undecided, or being doubtful. In a dramatic work, suspense is the anticipation of the outcome of a plot or of the solution to an uncertainty, puzzle, or mystery, particularly as it aff ...

'' in 1952. The 1973

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...

...

Character biography based on the Buchan canon

ch 1,

ch 2,

He becomes a mining engineer, spending three years prospecting for copper in German

Damaraland Damaraland was a name given to the north-central part of what later became Namibia, inhabited by the Damara (people), Damaras. It was bounded roughly by Ovamboland in the north, the Namib Desert in the west, the Kalahari Desert in the east, a ...

and makes a small fortune in

Bulawayo Bulawayo (, ; Ndebele: ''Bulawayo'') is the second largest city in Zimbabwe, and the largest city in the country's Matabeleland region. The city's population is disputed; the 2022 census listed it at 665,940, while the Bulawayo City Council cl ...

. He takes part in the Matabele Wars, serves two years with the

Imperial Light Horse Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor, or imperialism. Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to: Places United States * Imperial, California * Imperial, Missouri * Imperial, Nebraska * Imperial, Pennsylvania * Imperial, Texas ...

The Runagates Club, Ch. 1. and serves as an intelligence officer at

Delagoa Bay Maputo Bay ( pt, Baía de Maputo), formerly also known as Delagoa Bay from ''Baía da Lagoa'' in Portuguese, is an inlet of the Indian Ocean on the coast of Mozambique, between 25° 40' and 26° 20' S, with a length from north to south of over 90&n ...

in the

Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sou ...

.ch 3, He goes to England in 1914, shortly before the events of '' The Thirty-Nine Steps''. The

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

breaks out eight weeks after the events of ''The Thirty-Nine Steps'', and Hannay immediately joins the

New Army The New Armies (Traditional Chinese: 新軍, Simplified Chinese: 新军; Pinyin: Xīnjūn, Manchu: ''Ice cooha''), more fully called the Newly Created Army ( ''Xinjian Lujun''Also translated as "Newly Established Army" ()), was the modernised ar ...

, and is promptly commissioned captain on the strength of his Matebele campaign experience. He is wounded in the leg and neck in the

Battle of Loos The Battle of Loos took place from 1915 in France on the Western Front, during the First World War. It was the biggest British attack of 1915, the first time that the British used poison gas and the first mass engagement of New Army units. Th ...

in September 1915, by which time he had reached the rank of major. ''

,'' the sequel to ''The Thirty-Nine Steps'' begins in late 1915, with Hannay in

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...

where he has arrived to convalesce after Loos. During the events of ''Greenmantle'', his work as a spy in wartime Europe and Turkey earn him a DSO and CB, respectively. Following this, he returns to regular service in the army and is rapidly promoted to

brigadier-general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

. In early 1917, however, he is called back to the Secret Service to hunt a dangerous German spy during the decisive months of the First World War. As told in ''

'', he meets and falls in love with Mary Lamington, an intelligent, beautiful young nurse and fellow spy. Later, in 1918, now promoted to

major-general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

, he returns to the front lines and participates in desperate fighting following the Germans' massive, last-ditch effort to win the war. Soon after the end of the war, Hannay marries Mary Lamington, and the following year they have a son, Peter John Hannay. The boy is named after Hannay's two great friends

John Scantlebury Blenkiron John Scantlebury Blenkiron is a fictional character who appears in several books by John Buchan, including ''Greenmantle'', ''Mr Standfast'', ''The Courts of the Morning'' and ''Sick Heart River''. Blenkiron comes from the United States, and has a ...

(an American businessman and spy who had often helped him) and

Peter Pienaar Peter Pienaar is a character from John Buchan's series of Richard Hannay books. He is described by Hannay as being "five foot ten, very thin and active, and as strong as a buffalo ithpale blue eyes, a face as gentle as a girl's, and a soft sleep ...

("Mr Standfast"), an old

Boer Boers ( ; af, Boere ()) are the descendants of the Dutch-speaking Free Burghers of the eastern Cape Colony, Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. From 1652 to 1795, the Dutch East India Company controll ...

scout who seems to have been a kind of father-figure to him. The family settles in Mary's old home in the

Cotswolds The Cotswolds (, ) is a region in central-southwest England, along a range of rolling hills that rise from the meadows of the upper Thames to an escarpment above the Severn Valley and Evesham Vale. The area is defined by the bedrock of Jur ...

, Fosse Manor,

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primarily ...

and Hannay (now a KCB) finds peace and enjoyment as a farmer. However, in 1920 or 1921, Hannay again finds himself in an adventure, this time with his wife's help unravelling a kidnapping mystery in ''

''. His last adventure, ''

'', occurs some 12 years later when Hannay, now in his fifties, is called by an old oath to protect the son of a man he once knew, who safeguards the secret of the greatest treasure on earth. This book also focuses on Hannay's son, Peter John, now a bright but solemn teenager. Though the Hannay books stop short of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Buchan's last novel, ''Sick Heart River'' (published just after the author died in 1940) offers a hint about Hannay's future: dying in Canada, Hannay's friend Sir

Edward Leithen Sir Edward Leithen is a fictional character in several of John Buchan's novels: ''The Power-House'', '' John Macnab'', '' The Dancing Floor'', '' The Gap in the Curtain'' and '' Sick Heart River''. These were published over a number of years, the f ...

hears of the outbreak of war in Europe and guesses that many of his old friends, including Hannay, will have taken up arms again.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hannay, Richard Fictional British Army officers Fictional knights Fictional major generals Fictional Scottish people Fictional World War I veterans Fictional secret agents and spies Literary characters introduced in 1915 John Buchan characters Spy film characters