Notes
He was born in Brighton, on 27 October 1884, the 4th son of Robert Alers Hankey, a gentleman, who died and so he was raised by his guardian C.T.A. Hankey of Brighton. He was educated at Brighton Day School and then Rugby School (1898-1901). He then enlisted, attended the RMA Woolwich (1901-19030 and became a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Garrison Artillery in 1903. He served in Mauritius (1904-1906), returned to London on sick leave in London 1906, and then worked for his ordination, resigning his commission in 1907 to travel on the Continent. He then joined Corpus and achieved a 2nd class degree in Theology in 1910: he was also Secretary of the Owlets in 1909 and its President in 1910. After college he travelled in British East Africa in 1910 and then attended Leeds Clergy School in 1911 but declined ordination. He worked for the Oxford and Bermondsey Mission in 1911-1912, worked as a labourer in Australia in 1912-1913 – during which time he wrote articles for the Westminster Gazette on his disillusionment with emigrant life although he intended to purchase a West Australian Farm for Bermondsey Boys in 1914. He enlisted in August 1914, initially in the rnaks but then was commissioned. He wrote numerous articles on the war for The Spectator. He was the author of Lord of All Good Life (1914); A Student in Arms (1915); A Passing in June 1915 (1915); The Beloved Captain…Selected Chapters from ‘A Student in Arms’ (1917); Religion and Common Sense (1917); The Cross (1919); Letters (1919) - these last 4 published posthumously. He was also the subject of The Story of Donald Hankey by K.G. Budd (1931).