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Remembered Today:

An unusual (89b): IARO List for 2Lt James Bremner Henderson (later OBE; Civ: 1889-1969)


Kimberley John Lindsay

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Dear All,

Cryptic notes in Indian Army Lists for IAROs are common: (207a) is Hindustani, etc. 

However, (89b) was a most unusual one: Arabic (F. S. Proficiency Test): IA List Jul 1919. I assume F. S. stood for Field service...2042950917_Detail89bcommn2Nov1918.jpg.fd92e97896148a87f79c9160d28868c9.jpg

This qualification was appended to the name of James Bremner Henderson, born on 17 May 1889 (post-Great War his address was Callinnis House, Freswick, Wick, Caithness, Scotland), he went to Egypt as a Pte., ASC. This was probably the origin of his qualification!

Commissioned 2Lt., IARO on 2 Nov 1918 (Lond. Gaz. of 24 Jun 1919, page 7954), J. B. Hendrson is indexed in 1919-20s IA Lists, but the page number of 67 does not carry his name (!)...

A Goodie from my Library for any GWF member who cleverly finds his Image. 

He was awarded an OBE (Civ) (Lond-Gaz. 1 Jan 1965): James Bremner Henderson, Esq., Hon. President, Old Age Pensioners' Club, Coatbridge, Lanarkshire. He and his wife Alice lived at 36 Wood Street, Coatbridge...

Kindest regards,

Kim.

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Dear All,

He, James Bremner Henderson, was, en passant, a one-time Provost (Mayor) of Coatbridge...

Kindest regards,

Kim.571579000_ProvostofCoatbridge.jpg.83fc19c2f2d8a72715e670ec14fe176b.jpg

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Hello Kim,

   You may already know, but James and Alice were married in Kelso, Roxburghshire in 1921.

  Since James had been Provost of Coatbridge there's bound to be a photo of him somewhere, but I can't see any in the newspapers on Findmypast.

  Perhaps you could contact Lanarkshire Family History Society. They may be able to point you in the right direction.  https://www.lanarkshirefhs.org.uk/index.html

  I found James in the January 1920 Army List, on page 1696. [On Archive.org vai FIBIS]  https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.278912/page/n1551/mode/2up?view=theater    He was 'W. Cdr., 21st A.L.C.' Not sure what that means but it is something to do with the Labour Corps.

Regards,

Alf McM

 

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Dear Alf,

Good work! Many thanks, indeed.

Could you possibly beam me a scan of p. 1696 Jan 1920 A. l., please (Goodie!)?

The cryptic officer reference 'W. Cdr., 21st A.L.C.' is fascinating! Labour Corps is a completely new aspect (who says medal research is not fun?).

I will indeed pester the Lanarkshire Family Historians, and thanks for that link. Super!

No, I was not aware of the 1921 Kelso marriage of James and Alice Henderson. (One gets the impression there were no children, but who knows?) Many thanks for that, too.

The attached 15 Star Roll is interesting. Note the 'C' and 'x' in red. Noel (Melbourne) reckoned it meant Cancelled. By the same token, it could stand for Commissioned (?)...

Kindest regards,

Kim.950790480_15StarRollRASCviaNoelwithxandC-Commnd.jpg.e425d0cb938d19301754e4c69b372eaa.jpg

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Kim,

 'W. Cdr., 21st A.L.C.'

  This file at The National Archives explains what 21st A.L.C. stands for.  https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/2794d91e802c44d8affc1412ad30374a

It is 21 Arab Labour Corps, which makes sense with James' history. I'm not sure how the A.L.C. ties in with the Indian Army. The war diary mentioned above looks like a small file, and can be downloaded for free at present once you register, which is very easy.

Regards,

Alf McM

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Dear Alfm

Super!

I messed up signing in the TNA freebies and therefore ran into a brick wall the second attempt. Never mind: I could get a paid researcher to do it.

Yes, it fits in to James Henderson qualifying for a basic Arabic language - and his Apr1465383779_1920AprIAListLabourDirMesopotamia.jpg.9afd8e000760d3d9d244b545d2bb079d.jpg883680890_1920AprIAListLabourDircont..jpg.889a110be1143a132c90c1e28cae259b.jpg 1920 IA  List entry 'Labour Directorate Mesopotamia' (shown as 'Henders'!). 

Your continued help is highly appreciated, many thanks, indeed! 

Kindest regards,

Kim.

 

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Dear All, and Alf,

His Medal Index Card has been found (thanks, Noel!) - under the name of Jas (sic) Brenner (sic) Henderson. His Indian Army index page numbers were fouled up, too.

More to come.

Kindest regards,

Kim.30850_A000727-01453 Medal Index Card.pdf

Edited by Kimberley John Lindsay
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Presuming you have now seen his two medal Rolls? (on Ancestry)

George

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Dear George,

Yes, indeed - and thanks for taking an interest. The 'C' stands for Commissioned.1313858082_15StarRollRASCviaNoelwithxandC-Commnd.jpg.7727943cb3df45a9fc985ff12b74caad.jpg163327432_BWMVictoryRollRASCviaNoel.jpg.c928b8e1d93e5bbbfc3b3c0cc4f216df.jpg

I do not have Ancestry, but friends have come to the rescue in this respect...

More to come.

Kindest regards,

Kim.

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Dear All,

And the Winner is...

...Noel (thanks, Mate).

Also thanks to Alf and the other Great War Forum aficionados/cognescenti who took the time and the trouble to hold my medallic-like hand.

All this, 495943807_JamesBremnerHendersonAug1957asProvost-Mayor-ofCoatbridge.jpg.199d21eaf27125d4a3fe01c59b24af03.jpgin my quest to put a face on the "Private to Provost"  James Henderson OBE (Civ), 15 Trio.

More to come.

Kindest regards,

Kim.

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On 15/09/2021 at 07:37, alf mcm said:

Kim,

 'W. Cdr., 21st A.L.C.'

  This file at The National Archives explains what 21st A.L.C. stands for.  https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/2794d91e802c44d8affc1412ad30374a

It is 21 Arab Labour Corps, which makes sense with James' history. I'm not sure how the A.L.C. ties in with the Indian Army. The war diary mentioned above looks like a small file, and can be downloaded for free at present once you register, which is very easy.

Regards,

Alf McM

Kim,

   I have been reading the excellent  'No Labour, No Battle' by John Starling and Ivor Lee. With regards to Arab Labour Corps;-

  Originally the Arab Labour Corps had 2 British Officers. This was found impractical, since the men needed close supervision to get the best out of them. In about April 1918 the staff of each A.L.C. was increased to 4. These comprised the senior officer {Commandant} and an Adjutant/Quartermaster. Supervision was provided by 2 junior officers as Wing Commanders. This explains the notation in the Indian Army List.

  Arab labour was recruited from local villages. Each village was to provide a certain number of men. Every fortnight, one third of the allocation from each village would be collected and taken o their labour companies. This was repeated so that each worker was only away from his villlage for 2 weeks out of 6. This explains the reference in the 21 A.L.C. war diary to 'new relief' every 2 weeks.

Regards,

Alf McM

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Dear Alf,

Well spotted! 

From Private to Wing Commander - and (more to come)  - discharged as a Captain, apparently.

A better Image has also been discovered (thanks, Noel!), and will appear here in due course.

The James Hendrson medals themselves are presently winging their way from London to Hemmingen (sw Germany). 

As in all these Great War medal background searches, one needs that vital clue to "get there". In this case it was his tenure as Councillor, Bailie, then Provost (Mayor) and Magistrate of Coatbridge, Lanarkshire. Snippets were reported in the local newspapers (thanks, Noel!), and, as the French are wont of saying: Voila!

The Great War Forum is nothing less than genial.

Kindest regards,

Kim.

 

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36 minutes ago, alf mcm said:

In about April 1918 the staff of each A.L.C. was increased to 4. These comprised the senior officer {Commandant} and an Adjutant/Quartermaster. Supervision was provided by 2 junior officers as Wing Commanders

Isn't that curious

Alf, I'm having difficulties with 'No Labour, No Battle' by John Starling and Ivor Lee

Can you give me a page ref?

Thanks

Michael

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Dear All, and Alf,

A rather better 1936 portrait of the well-dressed Councillor Henderson (Coatbridge, Lanarkshire).

I also have his Birth, Marriage, and Death certificates. 

His IARO papers are with TNA - reference WO 339/139198 (former ref.: 289147) - but will have to wait until TNA returns to something approaching 640559946_CouncillorJamesHenderson.jpg.df39d2c7e597f6d80df7a8dacad93f4f.jpgpost(?)-Corona mode: especially as I am somewhat helplessly ensconced in sw Germany...

Kindest regards,

Kim.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Dear All,

Here is the rev of his 15 Star.

As far as I know, S4 stands for Army Service Corps. Is the number of any particular significance? (The stop at the end of the number is unusual!)

Here also is J. B. Henderson's1092255384_15StarRevS4-140340PTE_ASC.jpg.7b788065763fd53419027566ab3c0822.jpg1043144669_ProvostHenderson1955officialportrait.jpg.a1558afc9e2bfb212b3fcaafb93cd31f.jpg portrait as Provost (Mayor) of Coatbridge.

Kindest regards,

Kim. 

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Dear All,

Here is the mounted medal group of ASC Pte., IARO 2nd Lieut., and erstwhile Coatbridge Provost James Bremner Henderson, OBE, J.P.

Kindest regards,

Kim.1358521655_Greekmounted45EUR8Oct2021obv.jpg.5a948a08cca5947565e34ec9b623d5fe.jpg

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On 01/10/2021 at 19:45, Kimberley John Lindsay said:

Dear All,

Here is the rev of his 15 Star.

As far as I know, S4 stands for Army Service Corps. Is the number of any particular significance? (The stop at the end of the number is unusual!)

Here also is J. B. Henderson's1092255384_15StarRevS4-140340PTE_ASC.jpg.7b788065763fd53419027566ab3c0822.jpg1043144669_ProvostHenderson1955officialportrait.jpg.a1558afc9e2bfb212b3fcaafb93cd31f.jpg portrait as Provost (Mayor) of Coatbridge.

Kindest regards,

Kim. 


Hi,

 

The S4 denotes he was an ASC recruit to Kitchener’s 4th New Army and is confirmed in this link to Long Lomg Trail site.

Steve

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/letter-prefixes-to-british-soldiers-numbers-in-the-first-world-war/

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Dear Steve,

Many thanks for nicely dove-tailing this Keeper Group for me.

I have now framed the properly-mounted medals with the then Councellor J. B. Henderson portrait from 1928 as a background.

Kindest regards,

Kim.

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Dear All,

Just for the record, here is the confirmation for his service on Gallipoli.

It was obviously somewhat confused during the Evacuation...

Interestingly, his (unfortunately weeded) papers show employment as a Soldier Clerk in Basrah (and previous service in India (Bangalore, Bombay),

prior to 1918 commissioning into the Indian Army Reserve of Officers (Labour Corps). Interesting!

Kindest regards,

Kim.

I do not understand why some of the wretched 1529597659_IMG_0494Gallipoli.JPEG.b8037005800a8fd01e8fa46d16b2cdbc.JPEGIMG_0492.JPEG.c4e9f4859ebee203eefb09ea31867a13.JPEG381535852_IMG_0486ShortServicepageone.JPEG.16841455e1ceb7896ec07abb746419c4.JPEG1527415526_IMG_0487Servicepagetwo.JPEG.9dec4f676abdfc1cc75083a8f3856c43.JPEG1267429777_IMG_0491IndiaMesopotamia.JPEG.877cc90a68cdbd0d487878dfe8964095.JPEG509349225_IMG_0490DischargedtoIAROLabourCorps.JPEG.fc4c2fe9fcb3a24a2290f4d066e121da.JPEGfiles do not reproduce upright!

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Dear All,

I need expert help to identify - translate - a WORD from page 2 of Henderson's statement of service (please!):-

Situated in the line below HOME

and above the line INDIAN E. F. "D"

pertaining in that line to the dates 4.11.15 to 13.2.16

Kindest regards

Kim.2014770011_IMG_0487Servicepagetwo.JPEG.6e347a5f1842fa25cad15f397fa76c41.JPEG

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