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Cenotaph record

Richard Alexander Henderson

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Brothers Private Richard (Dick) Alexander Henderson (3/258) (right) and his elder brother, Rifleman William John Henderson, (15369), NZ Rifle Brigade (seated). Almost definitely taken in France. Image provided by Nigel Robson. - No known copyright restrictions

Brothers Private Richard (Dick) Alexander Henderson (3/258) (right) and his elder brother, Rifleman …

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Richard Alexander AWMM
  • Surname
    Henderson AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
    Dick AWMM
  • Service number
    WWI 3/258 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    26 August 1895 Peter Dennis, UNSW Canberra Waihi, New Zealand Peter Dennis, UNSW Canberra
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    Pre 1914 AWMM Selbourne Street, Grey Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
    Teacher/Civilian AWMM
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    J. Henderson (father), Selbourne Street, Grey Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Pre 16 October 1914 AWMM Single AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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Military decorations

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Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
    WW1 1914 AWMM
    Age 21 AWMM
    Trainee teacher/Civilian AWMM
    AWMM
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes
    • Height, Unknown Period AWMM
      5 foot 5 inches AWMM
    • Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
      Gassed Passchendaele AWMM
    • Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
      Evacuated to England, hospitalised and invalided to New Zealand AWMM

Last known rank

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  • Last rank

Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • "In 1914 a war had to be fought. A popular young teacher, Dick Henderson, enlisted in the Medical Corps, and quietly earned immortality with his donkey at the hell of Gallipoli. " (section 1910's- and a crisis in Three Kings School, Centennial 1878-1978.

    Replaced John Simpson Kirkpatrick (dod May 19 1915) and inherited the donkey Murphy and transports injured soldiers at Gallipoli

    Served in Egyptian areana, then England and France

    Gassed at Passchendaele and invalided home to New Zealand

    His eyesight deteriorated badly, as a result of the mustard gas exposure and he retired at age 41

    No Form B103 on file; few details available.
    War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front
    Embarked Wellington, 10 October 1914.
    Found guilty, Mudros, 17 July 1915, of taking a boat belonging to No 1 Australian Stationary Hospital from its moorings without permission: awarded 72 hours' detention.
    Received pay as Cook, 18 August 1915; relieved of appointment as Cook, Ismailia, 19 February 1916.
    Awarded Military Medal for gallantry in the field, 15 November 1916.
    Rejoined No 2 NZ Field Ambulance, 1 December 1916.
    Appointed Lance Corporal, 14 December 1916.
    On Command to No 3 NZ General Hospital, Codford, England, 21 February 1917.
    Promoted Corporal, 28 March 1917.
    Proceeded overseas to France, 28 May 1917.
    Wounded in action, 12 October 1917 (gas); admitted to 59th General Hospital, St Omer, 14 October 1917; still listed as 'dangerously ill, 22 October 1917; transferred to England (no date available), and admitted to Lewisham Military Hospital, 6 November 1917 (gassed: severe); removed from 'dangerously ill' list, 7 November 1917. Transferred to No 2 NZ General Hospital, Walton-on-Thames, 17 November 1917.
    Commenced return to New Zealand from Liverpool on board SS 'Maunganui', 2 February 1918; discharged (no longer physically fit for War Service on account of wounds received in action; gas poisoning), 21 May 1918.
    Total war service: 3 years 285 days (of which 3 years 151 days were abroad).
    Medals: Military Medal, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal AWMM
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    14 November 1958 AWMM
    Age 63 AWMM
    AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Waikumete Cemetery, Glen Eden, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM Soldiers' Burial Row 11, Plot 111 AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
    Service Persons Area L, Row 11, Plot 111 Public - sarndra - Researcher - 25 April 2018 - Auckland Council Cemetery database
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

Roll of Honour

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Leave a note

Leave a tribute or memory of Richard Alexander Henderson

Leave a note

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  • A truly brave and courageous man and proud to call him my relative. Related through my grandfather William Henderson who was a first cousin. Our common ancestor William Henderson and Margaret Pow. RIP brave man.
    Public - Maye - Direct descendant - 24 April 2021
    Report 
  • he is very inspiring and I read rolly the and Anzac donkey I belief he is of great heritage btw no religious
    he is a good man
    Public - ethan - Researcher - 13 April 2021
    Report 

Sources

Sources

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  • External links
  • References
    • McDonald, W. (2001). Honours and awards to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Great War, 1914-1918. Napier, N.Z.: Helen McDonald. AWMM
    • McDonald, W. (2013). Honours and Awards to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Great War, 1914-1918. (3rd ed.). Hamilton, N.Z.: Richard Stowers. AWMM
    • McDonald, W. (2013). Honours and Awards to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Great War, 1914-1918. (3rd ed.). Hamilton, N.Z.: Richard Stowers. AWMM
    • New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      Vol1: 323 AWMM
    • Western Leader AWMM
      Gray, M. (2002, April 25). Soldier's true identity. Western Leader p. 3 AWMM
    • NZEF Peter Dennis, UNSW Canberra AWMM
    • Beattie, P.J. & Pomeroy, M. (2013-2020). Onward : portraits of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (vols 1-5). Auckland, New Zealand: Fair Dinkum Publications AWMM
      Vol. 3: Includes portrait AWMM

Contributors

Command item
Command item
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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
24 April 2021MayeTe AnauDirect descendant
13 April 2021ethanwhatawhataResearcher
25 April 2018sarndraAuckland, New ZealandResearcher

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