Person

Hannam, Walter Henry (1865 - 1965)

Born
1865
Burwood, New South Wales, Australia
Died
1965
Terrigal, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation
Antarctic explorer and Radio engineer
Alternative Names
  • Hannan, Walter Henry (Also known as)

Summary

Walter Hannam was one of Australia's earliest radio engineers and experimenters. After gaining his Diploma in Science from the Sydney Technological College, he worked in his father's gas and hydraulic engineering company for 11 years. He was a founding member of the Institute of Wireless Telegraphy of Australia (later Wireless Institute of Australia) which started in Sydney in 1910. Before WWI Hannam was among those who demonstrated to the Australian military the potential uses for wireless telegraphy: he served with the ANZAC Wireless Company (later Australian Army signal Corps) from 1915. After being discharged in 1919 he set up his own electronics business. He continued his enthusiastic promotion of amateur radio, and in 1929 patented a rapid hot water heater, marketed as the Hannam Hot Water Service. In 1911 Hannam joined the Australasian Antarctic Expedition as Wireless Operator and mechanic. He was responsible for establishing wireless relay stations on Macquarie Island and at the Expedition's main base, enabling for the first time radio contact between Antarctica and Australia, New Zealand and ships in the region. Hamman left Antarctica with most Expedition members in February 1913. The Hannam Islands, Commonwealth Bay, Antarctica, were named in his honour.

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Details

Chronology

1910
Career position - Foundation Member, Institute of Wireless Telegraphy of Australia (later Wireless Institute of Australia
1911 - February 1913
Career position - Wireless operator and mechanic, Cape Denison, Australasian Antarctic Expedition
1915
Award - Polar Medal (Silver)
June 1915 - November 1919
Career position - Member, ANZAC Wireless Company

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Archival resources

Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales

  • Walter Henry Hannan - Records, 1911 - 1913; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details

Published resources

Resources

Resource Sections

See also

  • Jensen, David, Mawson's remarkable men: the personal stories of the epic 1911-14 Australasian Antarctic Expediton (Sydeny: Allen and Unwin, 2015), 183 pp. Details

Gavan McCarthy [P004098] and Helen Cohn

Created: 20 October 1993, Last modified: 6 October 2023

EOAS ID: biogs/P000473b.htm

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