Robert Oswald HENDERSON DSO, MID

HENDERSON, Robert Oswald

Service Number: Officer
Enlisted: 1 May 1916, Place of enlistment - Melbourne, Victoria
Last Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Last Unit: 39th Infantry Battalion
Born: Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, 27 March 1875
Home Town: Bendigo, Greater Bendigo, Victoria
Schooling: Bendigo High School, Victoria, Australia
Occupation: Merchant
Died: Killed In Action, France, 29 September 1918, aged 43 years
Cemetery: Templeux-le-Guerard British Cemetery
Plot II, Row F, Grave 44 Headstone Inscription "HE LOVED CHIVALRY TRUTH & HONOR FREEDOM & COURTESY"
Memorials: Bendigo Golden & Corinthian Lodge Honor Roll, Bendigo Great War Roll of Honor, Bendigo Members of The Beehive Staff Pictorial Honor Roll, Bendigo Sandhurst Club Roll of Honour, Bendigo St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church Honor Roll, Bendigo St. Andrews Presbyterian Church "They Died That We May Live" Roll of Honor
Show Relationships

World War 1 Service

1 May 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Officer, 38th Infantry Battalion, Place of enlistment - Melbourne, Victoria
20 Jun 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Major, 38th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1,

--- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Runic embarkation_ship_number: A54 public_note: ''

20 Jun 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Major, 38th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Runic, Melbourne
15 Feb 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, 39th Infantry Battalion
24 Sep 1918: Honoured Companion of the Distinguished Service Order, 2nd Passchendaele , East of YPRES, both during operations of 4th/5th and 12the and 13th October, 1917, this officer stood out conspicuously on account of his absolute indifference to danger and of his leadership. On the 4th October when his Battalion had reached their objective he personally supervised the digging in and re-organisation. He then remained in the shell holes with his men- his cheerfulness and high spirits having a wonderful effect in keeping their courage and spirits. On the 12th his Battalion was in reserve but were quickly absorbed as reinforcements owing to very heavy casualties. The various units had become mixed up and many officers had become casualties so that it needed vigorous action by a senior officer on the spot to re-organise. This task was carried out admirably by Lt-Col HENDERSON in spite of the great difficulty due to marshy nature of the ground and to the heavy enemy shell fore and perfect hail of machine gun bullets which were enfilading the position. His example was a great incentive to all troops not only of his but other units. Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 150 Date: 24 September 1918
29 Sep 1918: Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, Officer, 39th Infantry Battalion, Breaching the Hindenburg Line - Cambrai / St Quentin Canal,

--- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 39th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Lieutenant Colonel awm_died_date: 1918-09-29

Help us honour Robert Oswald Henderson's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Jack Coyne

Robert Oswald HENDERSON

DSO 

Eric Fairey, the History of the 38th Battalion A.I.F wrote: - ‘Among those who fell in the fight for the Hindenburg Line was Lieutenant-Colonel R. O Henderson , commanding the 39th Battalion. Great sorrow was expressed when the news of his death reached the 38th battalion. Lieut-Colonel Henderson sailed from Australia with the 38th Battalion, and in February, 1917, was appointed commander of the 39th battalion. Throughout the whole of the Division he was admired as a clever and fearless leader, and was idolized by his men’. [1]  

The three Bendigo Newspapers reflected the city’s loss when news filtered through. The Bendigo Independent published the following on October 7, 1918.

DISTINGUISHED MILITARY CAREER.

‘By the death in action, on September 29, of Lieut. Colonel Robert Oswald Henderson, D.S.O. commanding officer of the 39th (Ballarat) Battalion, and proprietor of the Beehive Stores. Bendigo, the Empire lost a fearless and gallant soldier, and the city a valued citizen. Official notification of his death was received on Saturday afternoon, by the Rev. J. Crookston; who conveyed the sad news to the relatives. Mrs. Henderson, senr. and Miss F. L. Henderson, are, at present on a visit to another daughter, Mrs. Shrimpton, of Sydney, and a message was forwarded to them. Sincere regret was expressed throughout the city when the news was circulated, and at the Beehive and other institutions with which Lieut.-Colonel Henderson was prominently associated; flags were flown half- mast as a mark of respect’.

The paper went on extol his impact on the city: -‘Prior to enlistment Lieut –Colonel Henderson took a deep interest in philanthropic and other worthy institutions. For 18 years be was a member of the board of management of the Benevolent Asylum and occupied the presidential chair in 1907. He was also a valued member of the Bendigo Hospital board of management, and when accepted for service abroad the committees of both Institutions granted him leave of absence. He was also a staunch member of the Bendigo Art Gallery committee; a past grandmaster of the Golden and Corinthian Lodge; one of the oldest members of the Bendigo Tennis Club: a trustee of the Bendigo Chamber of Commerce; a member of the committee of the Bendigo Agricultural Society; and a member of St. Andrew's Church.[2]

 

The 39th Battalion was formed on 21 February 1916 at the Ballarat Showgrounds in Victoria and drew most of its recruits from the state's Western District. It became part of the 10th Brigade of the 3rd Australian Division.The 39th participated in its last major action of the war between 29 September and 2 October 1918 as part of the Australian-American operation that breached the formidable defences of the Hindenburg Line along the St Quentin Canal. Along with much of the AIF, the 39th was resting out of the line when the war ended in November. It was disbanded in March 1919. 

 

SERVICE DETAILS:  

 

Place of birth:  Bendigo, 27 March 1875
Religion: Presbyterian
School: Camp Street & Bendigo High School                           Occupation: Merchant

Address: 'Lorne Villa', Forest Street, Bendigo
Age at embarkation 41
Next of kin: Wife, Mrs Maude Anderson Henderson, 'Lorne Villa', Forest Street, Bendigo
Enlistment date: 1 May 1916
Rank on enlistment: Major
Final Rank: Lieutenant-Colonel
Unit name: 38th Battalion, Headquarters, 39th Battalion
Embarked: HMAT A54 Runic on 20 June 1916
Fate: Killed in Action 29 September 1918, Buried: Templeux-le-Guerard British Cemetery, France.

Killed in Action 29 September 1918: - At around 10:30 am. The Commanding Officer of the 39th Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Henderson, while observing the way ahead from a shell hole was killed with a bullet to the head.[3]



[1] The 38th Battalion A.I.F by Eric Fairey, Published by the Bendigo Advertiser & Cambridge Press, Bendigo 1920. Page 81
[2] The Bendigo Independent, October 7, 1918. Page 6. KILLED IN ACTION. LIEUT-COLONEL R. O. HENDERSON, D.S.O.

[3] Australians on the Western Front 1918, Vol 2. David W. Cameron. Penguin / Viking. 2018.

Read more...

Biography contributed by Nicolas Medina Florez

Robert Oswald Henderson was a lieutenant colonel in the 38th infantry battalion. Henderson was born on the 27th of March 1875 in Bendigo, a small city in Victoria. He attended Bendigo high school and studied geography, Latin, French, and English. After graduating in year 12 he went on to become a merchant. Robert then married Maude Anderson Henderson.

When he enlisted in the 1st of May 1916 to fight in the war, he already had prior military experience. He was a major and had temporal role as C.O in the 67th infantry. When he first started out in the war, he was a major in the 38th infantry battalion. He embarked for WWI on the 20th June 1916. Robert O. Henderson sailed aboard the HMAT A54 Runic, from Melbourne, Victoria. The vessel had another use for it originally, but was made into a troop ship, where people would take all the luxuries out of it, and make more space for the soldiers.

In 1918, he received a Distinguished Service Order, which was recorded in the London gazette and the Commonwealth Gazette.

“'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When his battalion had reached its objective he personally supervised the digging in and remained in the shell holes with his men. On another occasion, when his battalion was brought up from reserve to replace casualties, he did excellent work in re-organising the various units under heavy fire after many officers had become casualties. He set a splendid example to his men.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' 
Date: 23 May 1918”

On the 29th of September, Robert was ordered to breach the Hindenburg line, where he watched over his soldiers on the digging-in, as well as coming in as reinforcements. He was killed in action.

Read more...

Biography

"SOLDIERS' DECORATIONS. OFFICIAL ACCOUNTS.

The official account of the deeds for which a bar to the D.S.O. was conferred on Lieut.-Colonel Robert Oswald Henderson, of Bendigo, is as follows:-

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When his battalion had reached its objective he personally supervised the digging-in and remained in the shell holes with his men. On another occasion, when his battalion was brought up from reserve to replace casualties, he did excellent work in re-organising the various units under heavy fire after many officers had become casualties. He set a splendid example to his men." - from the Bendigonian 03 Oct 1918 (nla.gov.au)

Read more...