Born 21 July 1900 at Elphin, Co Roscommon, Ireland, the eleventh child of John Hanly, farmer, and Winifred Breslin his wife. He was educated at Summerhill College, Sligo and at University College, Galway, a constituent college of the National University of Ireland, where he qualified in 1923. The following year, 1924, he was commissioned in the Medical Service of the Royal Air Force. He was promoted flight-lieutenant in 1926, squadron-leader in 1934 and wing-commander in 1938. During this period he served in India, Iraq, Aden and Egypt. In 1931 he took the Edinburgh surgical Fellowship and in 1940 the English Fellowship, though not previously a Member of the College. Hanly married on 24 July 1937 Miriam Duff, who survived him with two daughters. He died on active service in the Middle East during the second world war in August 1942, having been promoted group-captain earlier in the year.