David Animle Hansen

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David Animle Hansen
1923 - 2008
Allegiance	Ghana
Service/branch	Ghana Navy
Rank	Rear Admiral
Commands held	Chief of Naval Staff

Rear Admiral David Animle Hansen (17 May 1923 - 28 January 2008) was the first Ghanaian to be appointed Chief of Naval Staff of the Ghana Navy.

Contents 1 Education and training 2 Career 3 Honours 4 Tribute To Rear Admiral David Animle Hansen G.N. Rtd. 5 References

[edit] Education and training

David Hansen trained at the Eaton Hall Officer Cadet School in the United Kingdom.^[1]

[edit] Career

On the completion of his training, Hansen was commissioned into the Ghana army. When the Ghana Navy was established on July 29, 1959,^[2] its first head was D. A. Foreman, a retired British naval officer who had been granted presidential commission as a Ghana naval officer with the rank of Commodore. David Hansen was later transferred from the army to the navy and appointed as the first Ghanaian Chief of Naval Staff of the Ghana Navy.^[3] In addition, he served as an aide-de-camp to President Kwame Nkrumah.

[edit] Honours

The Ghana Navy ship GNS Hansen was named after him.^[1]

[edit] Tribute To Rear Admiral David Animle Hansen G.N. Rtd.

The British Joint Services Training Team ran the Ghana Navy under special arrangement between the Government of Ghana and the British Government. Before then individual Naval personnel were appointed to Command, Administrative and Training positions from the active and retired lists of the Royal Navy on contract basis, with the consent of the British Government. Under these special arrangements, Commodore Foreman was appointed the first Chief of Naval Staff in 1958 to establish a small Navy and train the requisite Officers and Ratings to meet the maritime needs of the Country. With a small number of expatriate staff the Navy was started with six junior Ghanaian ratings in 1958. The first batch of Naval Cadets were taken from the Ghana Military Academy and sent to the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth in August 1960 to commence training as Naval Cadets and as potential officers for the Ghana Navy. Following the first batch, Ghanaian naval Cadets were sent to Dartmouth every year to join their British and Commonwealth counter parts for training. In the home front however, remarkable changes were taking place. Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, then President of the Republic of Ghana, had embarked on the Ghanaianisation Policy for the Ghana Armed Forces. While the Ghana Army had a few Commissioned Officers at the time, the Navy and the Air Force had none. For the Policy to succeed, it became necessary to transfer some senior Officers from the Army to head the Navy and the Air Force. It fell on the lot of Colonel David Animle Hansen to transfer to the Navy as the Navy Commander and Chief of Naval Staff. in 1961 in the rank of Naval Commodore. For the new Commodore surrounded by expatriate naval officers and advisors, it could not have been smooth sailing in a situation that demanded change to allow the black man to manage his own affairs. Rear Admiral Hansen’s problems increased by the day as the young commissioned naval officers returned home fully trained from Dartmouth, in the United Kingdom. There existed serious conflicts between the restless enthusiastic young Ghanaian officers and their expatriate bosses who delighted in proving the young Ghanaians as incapable, particularly to Command ships at sea. On the insistence of the Ghanaian Chief of Naval Staff however, Lieutenant George Bedu Addo. G.N. was the first to be given Command of the Inshore Mine Sweeper G.N.S. AFADZATO, in August 1964. In the company of G.N.S YOGAGA under the command of Lieutenant Shepperd R. N. the two vessels set sail from Takoradi on route to Gibraltar for refit in the Royal Navy docks there. Lieutenant Shepperd was the Senior Officer in Command. Within twenty-four hours after sailing, the Inshore Mine Sweepers struck very bad weather, which became worse and reached storm and hurricane levels with force seven winds and very high waves constantly lashing the upper decks. Visibility was down to near zero and with opposing tide and strong head waves the already low speed of the vessels reduced to less than three knots. This terrible ordeal to the ships and the crew happened soon after leaving the mainland African coast for Las Palmas in the Canary Islands. As expected, the two vessels lost contact with each other and it was a matter of each ship for itself and God for both vessels and the crew. Navigation was more of dead reckoning and quick astronomical fixes if one could catch a glimpse of the heavenly bodies. When the storm abated in about three days, GNS Afadzato raised land and was only a few hours to the Las Palmas harbour. Communications was established and the ship steamed into port in style several hours ahead of the Yogaga under the Command of the Expatriate officer. Lieutenant Shepperd on arrival in port indicated that the ships would have to stay extra days in port for rest; to which the Captain of Afadzato objected. In the event, GNS Afadzato sailed early for Gibraltar. This singular act broke the jinx surrounding the competence of Ghanaian officers to manage their own affairs at sea. In the Navy Headquarters in Accra, Commander Hansen was constantly told that the AFADZATO WOULD DEFINITELY GET LOST AND THAT HER GETTING TO GIBRALTAR WAS DOUBTFUL. The CNS no doubt spent restless days and sleepless nights until Afadzato arrived in port at Gibraltar as scheduled. The CNS must have heaved a sigh of relief at the good tidings of the vessel’s safe arrival, while his expatriate staff with the dooms day predictions were shamed. The matter did not end there; when the Yogaga under the Command of Lt Shepperd eventually arrived in Gibraltar, Navy Headquarters directed that Lt George Bedu Addo be relieved of his Command to report at Accra immediately. His Second in Command, Sub- Lieutenant C.K. Dzang, GN, was reappointed to GNS ACHIMOTA, then refitting in Southampton in the United Kingdom. To many of the expatriate staff, this was a case of disobedience that warranted a military court martial and punishment. However, one of the expatriate staff dissented, stating that Lieutenant Shepperd himself disobeyed by altering the passage plan without seeking approval from the Navy Headquarters. After two weeks of consultations and expert advice, the two probable cases of disobedience were dropped; making it one-one draw in the tussle between the Expatriate and the Ghanaian Naval Officers. By this incident, Commodore Hansen’s confidence in the Ghanaian Officer’s ability to manage his own affairs at sea grew in leaps and bounds and five ships came under the Command of Ghanaian Naval Officers almost immediately. Many months later in February 1966 the first Coup d’état took place in Ghana and the situation in the Navy changed dramatically. A counter coup however failed in April 1967. Unfortunately, Major General Kotoka the architect of the successful first coup who became the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces lost his life. Rear Admiral David Animle HANSEN the most senior Service Chief after General Kotoka had to be re- assigned to London as the Defence Adviser. From far away Britain, the Admiral passively observed the re-organisation of the Ghana Navy, with the Chief of Air Staff Air Commodore M.A. Otu double banking as the Chief of Naval Staff as well. The review and reorganisation of the Navy were carried out by an Indian Naval Commodore Krishna, with supporting staff from India and Ghana. His recommendations were generally accepted and implemented as far as possible. The central issue in the review was to give senior and sensitive responsibilities to the Ghanaian officers and men. The seven most Senior Executive Ghanaian officers were to be rotated in the top appointments ashore and at sea so that a suitable Officer would emerge in the process to be appointed the Chief of Naval Staff and Navy Commander. In the mean time another Senior Army officer, Colonel P.F. Quaye was transferred to head the Navy as the Chief of Naval Staff in the rank of Commodore. The Ghana Navy Fleet was also reviewed. Apart from the existing ships in the Navy, Patrol boats the size of the Corvette were recommended, having regard to the political and economic situations of the Country at that time. However, Admiral David Hansen in close collaboration with President Nkrumah and his Government had ordered a Frigate for the Ghana Navy, commensurate with the call for an African High Command. Unfortunately, the almost completed project, G.N.S. MERMAID, nick named the ‘Gin Palace’ by detractors, had to be cancelled. The Navy and more so Admiral David Hansen was deeply saddened. However, life must go on and by a popular adage attributable to Admiral Hansen in his Navy Days, ‘you have to brighten the corner where you are.’ He was a Great man who understood the Grand Strategy for the Navy and excelled in convincing the political elite of his time to build up a small fleet of ships for the young Navy. The acquisitions during his time included:

• G.N.S ELMINA and G.NS.KOMENDA - SEAWARD DEFENCE BOATS
• G.N.S KETA and G.N.S. KROMATSE - C ORVETTS
• G.N.S ACHIMOTA - YATCHT (used as the Flag Ship)
• G.N.S EJURA - COASTAL MINE SWEEPER(Ex Royal Navy, U.K)
• G.N.S FPB 1,2,3,4 - FAST PATROL BOATS (Built by the Soviet Union)
• G.N.S. ASUANTSI - MOBILE REPAIR CRAFT (Ex Royal Navy, U.K)

Rear-Admiral David Animle Hansen finally retired from active military Service in 1970 and was appointed Director of the National Vocations Training Institutes. A National duty he performed diligently and commendably. It is said that ‘OLD SOLDIERS / SAILORS NEVER DIE’, and so in his retirement David was a pillar of strength behind the Association of Retired Naval Officers. As a founding Member and life President, he nurtured the association from its birth until his departure to eternity where we hope and pray that his creator would amply reward his good deeds. ARNO owes Admiral David Animle Hansen a dearth of gratitude. In 2001, in recognition of the Yeoman’s role played by Admiral David Hansen in active Service and in Retirement, the Ghana Navy with the Government’s approval named after him and Commissioned into Service the Fast Patrol Boat GNS DAVID HANSEN. The Navy he loved so much therefore bestowed honour upon him in his lifetime; but the ultimate honour came when he was given a National Award, ‘ORDER OF THE VOLTA’ in recognition of his Meritorious Services to Mother Ghana. We say that a mighty tree has fallen, the Association of Retired Naval Officer’s mentor and its first President is no more. May his soul rest in peace with his maker. Short History Of ‘ARNO.’ The Parkinson Howard Beach Club near the Tema Harbour was often the venue for the Victoria League celebrations of Trafalgar night in honour of Admiral Lord NELSON, Royal Navy. Rear-Admiral David Hansen through his good contacts with the BJSTT was usually invited to the functions ands dinners. The sitting Chief of Naval Staff and his principal Staff Officers were always invited as well. During one of the Dinners the Ghanaian Officers had exhaustive discussions as to how to start a Club on the lines of the Victoria League and Trafalgar night, which were invariably dominated by Retired Royal Navy Officers. Admiral David Hansen and later Commodore P.F. Quaye showed great interest in the idea. Ably supported by serving officers such as the late Lieutenant - Commander Monte Provencal, then the Director of Operations Navy Headquarters, Commander J.A. Kyeremeh, then the N.O.I.C Tema, Commander. Edward Osei, Cdr. Joseph Boateng and all Tema based and Nay Headquarters Officers, ARNO was conceived. Through the good friendship between the NOIC and Colonel Howard a retired British Army Lt- Colonel who was then the Manager of the Mariners Club, facilities were offered for the Ghana Navy Officers to meet at the Mariners Club. Occasionally the officers ate Lunches and dinners at the clubhouse and in their deliberations fashioned out ARNO’S Constitution. From the outset it was decided that the most senior retired Chief of Naval Staff shall be appointed life President. The position well suited Admiral David Hansen who was the only retired CNS at that time. He zealously chaired the meetings and functions of ARNO even though the Constitution was not ratified and registered with the Registrar General. Indeed, ARNO was the trailblazer as an Organisation for retired Service personnel apart from the colonial Ex Servicemen Association, which was intended for the British Empire soldiers who fought previous World Wars as part of the West African Frontier Forces. It was the ARNO experience that was later used to establish VAG, Veterans Association of Ghana. In 1986 the Ministry of Defence formally sought Government’s approval and support to start the Veterans Association of Ghana along the similar lines as obtained in Australia, India and other Commonwealth countries. Colonel Agbeko the Director of Legal Services at the time was detailed at the head of a team to study the modalities and operations of Veteran Clubs in Australia, India and elsewhere to help Ghana set up a Veterans club for retired Service personnel.

In the beginning, the revolutionary climate dictated that the Club should accommodate all ranks. Later it was found to be unworkable and so the present VAG Club is solely for Officers, but the Veterans Association of Ghana includes all ranks. The Navy however tenuously kept ARNO, but does not debar its members from active roles in VAG; ‘dual Membership’ if you like to call it so. Admiral David Hansen as the first life President was always at the helm of affairs through thick and thin. He died on the 28 January 2008. A mighty tree has fallen, ARNO’S mentor and first life President is no more. May the Good Lord grant him peaceful eternal rest.

Source: ARNO

[edit] References

Military offices
Preceded by Commodore D. A. Foreman	Chief of Naval Staff September 1961 – June 1967	Succeeded by Commodore P.F. Quaye