Lieutenant Henry Hanke
Service Number: NX191070Description
Henry Hanke was born in Sydney in 1901. He studied Art at the J S Watkins School, Sydney, c. 1918. In 1922 he became an exhibiting member of the Royal Art Society of NSW, best known for painting portraits, landscapes and still life. When the Art Society re-opened its Art School in 1966, Hanke became the school's first Director. He was also a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, London, and the Royal Art Society of NSW. In 1934 Hanke won the Archibald Prize with a self-portrait and in 1936 won the inaugural Sir John Sulman Prize. In May 1942, Hanke was called up for military service. In November 1943 he was appointed a lieutenant and attached to the Military History Section of the AIF from 1943 to 1945 as an Official War Artist. Whilst on the home front, Hanke produced many portraits of officers, army nurses and munitions and aircraft workers, as well as recording the activities of the service organisations. In March 1944 he embarked for New Guinea where he was attached to the 7th Military History Field Team. Field Teams were responsible for the coordination of the collection of information and items for the Memorial. Whilst in New Guinea, Hanke produced reconstructions of the Japanese attack on Milne Bay in 1942, as well as depicting naval, aircraft and artillery subjects. Hanke returned to Australia in July 1944 and continued producing portraits and other works for the Memorial until December 1945. After the war Hanke continued to have a successful career as an artist and teacher, specialising in portraiture.
Details
First name/s
Henry
Last name
Hanke
Service Number
NX191070
Final rank
Lieutenant
Date of Birth
14/06/1901
Place of Birth
Date of Death
1989
Conflicts
Places
Timeline
- 14/06/1901
- Date of birth
- 07/02/1944
- Date and unit at enlistment (ORs)
- 02/08/1945
- Date of discharge
- 1989
- Date of death
