Richard Hannay of the Second World War, Buchan's last novel, "Sick Heart River" (published just after the author died in 1940) offers a hint about Hannay's future: dying in Canada, Hannay's friend Sir Edward Leithen hears of the outbreak of war in Europe and guesses that many of his old friends, including Hannay, will have taken up arms again. Richard Hannay Major-General Sir Richard Hannay, KCB, OBE, DSO, Legion of Honour, is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist John Buchan and further made popular by the 1935 Alfred Hitchcock film "The 39 Steps" (and other later film adaptations), very loosely based
Hannay baronets as a drug merchant. His brother Alexander was a lieutenant-colonel in the Indian army; another brother, Ramsay, was in trade from India to China. Samuel Hannay himself had important Indian (City and shipping) interests; he was one of the creditors of the Nawab of Arcot. In 1784, Hannay was on the list of Government candidates recommended by Richard Atkinson, and was one of those willing to pay £2,000 or £2,500 or perhaps £3,000. He stood at Ilchester but was defeated; next, Jonathan Phillips vacated for him the seat at Camelford. He voted with Pitt over Richmond’s fortifications plan, 27 Feb.