9th Highland Light Infantry

[LindaH]

I am researching Walter Henderson who was killed on the Menin Road 8th March 1918. Any ideas where I can find extra information about him or the battalion please? I would like to know if he had been in Belgium long. Thanks Linda

[EDWARD1]

CWG Has two entries For W Henderson both 9th HLI killed same day.(one attached from 13th R F)

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/458249/HENDERSON,%20W

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/158430/HENDERSON,%20W%20C

Eddie

[sotonmate]

Walter was a 2nd Lieutenant so will have a service record at Kew,probably in the WO374 series,if not there check WO339.Buried Hooge.

The other W is a William C and he was a Private 331437 in the same Battalion and killed the same day. Buried Potijze.

I am at Kew next week and will see if I can find his file and give you a summary.

[Malcolm]

see

http://rhf.org.uk/rh...d=98&Itemid=113

From "Shoulder to Shoulder " 9th HLI 1914-19

The battalion moved forward again on March 2nd to Seine as support to the North Broodseinde Sector. While here, carrying, parties were supplied by day, and at night wiring parties worked in the front line.

Aye

Malcolm

[Malcolm]

The RSF Museum documents give 2nd Lt Walter Henderson as ATTACHED TO 13th Royal Fusiliers.

Aye

Malcolm

[Colin W Taylor]

Linda

If Malcolm is correct (and I have no doubt that he is) then W Henderson is mentioned here as being killed in action during a heavy bout of shelffire covering a raid on a neighbouring battalion. The diary is shown below.

Kind regards

Colin

[sotonmate]

Linda

Two Officer files at Kew,only one for a single name Walter Henderson,and that is WO374/32663 but covers a Corporal 13238 with 11 Royal Scots who gained a Commission as a 2/Lt in Jan 1918. He was born in Govan,Glasgow on 22.5.1896 and resident in Partick. Wounded 3.5.1917.The file has been considerably weeded and only covers his application for a Commission.

The second file,WO374/32672, is for William Johnson Henderson of the Northumberland Fusiliers.

[Vista52]

The 13th Royal Fusiliers was the battalion that Guy Chapman was in. He wrote about this in "A Passionate Prodigality", page 229. He may of been the Adjutant who wrote the Diary shown above because parts of it are quoted in his book.

"Two Officers were dead and two wounded. Bower, the Company Commander, had been killed, and a newly-joined subaltern from a Highland regiment, who by some whim of circumstance had been sent to us kilts, bonnet and all. He was killed, his men said, shooting over the parapet, uttering wild furious cries."

They are buried XIV B 11 & B 12 Hooge Crater Cemetery.

http://www.cwgc.org/...REDERIC WILLIAM

http://www.cwgc.org/...49/HENDERSON, W

[LindaH]

Hi,

sorry for replying to your posts so late! I have just been catching up and realised I had not said thank you for your interest and for your help! So apologies - and many thanks!

My Walter Henderson was born 30 November 1878 so I do not think he is either of the men whose files are at Kew. But thanks for looking.

I have since found a report of his death in the Cumberland News which reported on the “gallant” way he met his death. At the time of his death he was attached to the Royal Fusiliers. The Major of his Battalion wrote: “He was killed instantly by a trench mortar shell. I cannot speak too highly of the magnificent way he behaved during the very heavy bombardment by the enemy. He was out in the trench with his men the whole time cheering them up and attending to the wounded. By his death the Battalion has lost a very brave and efficient officer. He was very popular with all ranks, and his loss is keenly felt.”

Best wishes,

Linda