HENDERSON, Clarence
| Service Number: | NX1987 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 26 October 1939 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/4th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | BUSHGROVE, NSW, 14 March 1907 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Crete, Crete, Greece, 28 May 1941, aged 34 years |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Moree & District Fallen Soldiers Honour Roll |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Private, NX1987 | |
|---|---|---|
| 26 Oct 1939: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, NX1987, 2nd/4th Infantry Battalion |
My Dad'd Best Mate
My father, James Francis Whitaker NX1995 (Jim) and Clarence Henderson NX1987 (Clarrie) were best mates. They joined up together as soon as they could in 1939 at Moree, hence their very low and similar enlistment numbers. In the battle of Crete, my father escaped in a rowing boat and was picked up by a British destroyer, HMS Nubian, and was returned safely to Alexandria even though the Nubian suffered serious damage from aerial attacks enroute. He continued to serve with the 2nd/4th Battalion for the remainder of the war. However, Clarrie was evacuated on HMS Dido, which also came under heavy aerial attack. One bomb penetrated the ship and exploded below deck, killing a number of diggers, including Clarrie Henderson. Dad often spoke of him in his later years.
Ian Whitaker
Submitted 20 March 2024 by Ian Whitaker