Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Lindon Howard Russell HIGINBOTHAM was born in Sydney, NSW in 1889

His parents were William Cyril HIGINBOTHAM & Alice Mary RiCHARDSON who married in Armidale, NSW in 1885

He enlisted with the 1st Light Horse Regiment on 1st September, 1915 & embarked from Sydney on the HMAT Osterley on 15th January, 1916

Lindon died of wounds in France on 21st June 1918 and is buried in the Borre British Cemetery

LINDON HOWARD RUSSEL HIGINBOTHAM (27.12.1889 - 21.6.1918)
Called Howard
From Tilbuster, Armidale. His father was William Cyril Higinbotham, Mayor of Armidale in 1904. His sister Gladys married W. Saunderson, then Second Master at TAS. At the wedding on 8.4.1911 at St.  Peter's Cathedral, Armidale, Lindon was Saunderson's best man.

At TAS 6 years from Feb. 1901 to Dec. 1906. Day Boy Prefect. Rawson Cup winner. Athletics colours. In he won the Junior athletics cup with 26 points (1 short of the possible) and high-jump and long- jump records. "He was the most brilliant and athlete of this School, having the unique honour of securing for four consecutive years, the 2 junior and 2 senior cups for athletics, as well as the gold and  silver medal for gymnastics. Many School  ecords still stand to his credit, and at the All School Sports in Sydney he holds the record for the Junior high-Jump". (Armidalian Obituary).
After leaving school he worked with his father and in 1912 his Jersey cattle won 2 second prizes at the Royal Agricultural Show in Sydney.

Enlisted at Armidale
Served: In 1912 he served as Orderly Officer to Col. Carrington. He had joined the Light Horse as Lieut. and qualified as Capt. And was Adjutant for many years until he joined the 3rd Battalion A.I.F. in 1915. He left Sydney as Adjutant on the S.S. "Osterley" with a large. contingent of troops for Egypt. After some months there he was sent to the base at Etaples In France where he did some very  important administrative work. He was not content with staff work, and after persistent effort to get to the actual firing line he became Captain of "A" 'Company of the 3rd Battalion.

Killed: - C.E.W. Bean (Vol 6 p.400-1) records the action of 20th June, 1918 in France in which Capt. Higinbotham's Company was involved and suffered 38 casualties. He died from wounds received in  this action. He had taken some Hun trenches at 8.40 a.m., the enemy counter-attacking violently 8 times. They were fighting all day, and between 6 and 9p,m., during one of these counter-attacks, he  led a platoon of his Company and gained position. The enemy were bringing men so Higinbotham left his platoon to bring another platoon on the enemy's left front. This gave the first platoon some  breathing space The Sergeant-Major says, "Thanks entirely to his work we held that post, and the Battalion gained great praise for it.” It was whilst he was bringing what was left of the second platoon  back to their posts that a rifle grenade burst at his feet, severely wounding him. By greet gallantry the stretcher-bearers got him to the aid-post and on his way he insisted on reporting ion  headquarters, where he reported progress and especially commended one of the Officers. At the aid-post he was so splendidly brave and natural, talking with the C.O. and the others who saw him  about and his dispositions that he deceived everyone into believing he was in better case than was actually so.” At the Field Ambulance the four Doctors worked on him for four hours, and were quite  satisfied with their work, when a few minutes after 4 a.m. on the 21st June, he died at age 28. His death is recorded In Randwick to Hargicourt – History of the 3rd Battalion A.I.F. by Eric Wren: "Six  hours later about 150 Germans, advancing under an artillery barrage, made a last bid for the position, but a withering fire from Lewis guns and rifles drove them off. It was about this time that Captain  Higinbotham, while leading reinforcements forward, was badly hit. Like his colleague Taylor he succumbed to his wounds the following dlay. Higinbotham shared the fate of many company commanders  of the 3rd Battalion. In practically every engagement in which the unit took part - from the landing at Anzac onwards the casualties aboungst company commanders were usually heavy.
Buried - France 28 Borre British Cemetery.

Obituary: Includes the following about him written by C. Wiseman, then School Chaplain, "He stood for all-that was good. He was one of those blessed beings who are fundamentally good by nature.  His boyhood was spotless; he had the heart and mind of a Sir Galahad.   In sport or in school he never appeared to do anything mean or little. The very action of his running had a tone of fairness and  purity about it. He succeeded at anything he took up, had a host of friends, was capable and lovable, yet he always remained humble and natural.” The Obituary also quotes the Chaplain in France  "Captain Higinbothham was a close friend of mine, and one to whom I was deeply attached.' I wish I could give you evidence of the affection and respect all ranks in the Battalion had for him. I have  never known a man more quickly admitted into the fellowship of the unit. No one wanted proof of his qualities; they took them for granted, and his men had the completest confidence in his judgment, coolness, and bravery, and would follow him anywhere. He was a soldier, who never asked men to do what he would not do himself, and a man who rang true in every aspect of his character. It would  do you good to hear the simple tributes of our splendid 1ads whether they were of his Company or not each had the same word of personal sorrow to express, and not one that I have seen has failed  to tell me how grieved he was to hear of his death. In his Company he was never satisfied unless he had seen to the comfort of the men himself. .. We feel it a privilege to have been served by one  who had such high ideals of his office and duties, and his name will be embodied with that of other gallant gentlemen in the records of the Battalion, which is not a little proud of its fighting record  during past four years." 

Memorial: - his name is on the fountain in Armidale Central Park and in the Armidale memorial Library. The Higinbotham Prize for Captain of the School is in his memory.