Lot 3909

Description

Trio to 39 Bn CO KIA: Distinguished Service Order (GRI); British War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-19 with MID. First medal unnamed, Lt-Col R.O.Henderson A.I.F. on second medal, Lieut-Colonel R.O.Henderson A.I.F. on last medal. Named medals impressed. Good very fine.

Together with DSO bestowal document; Bendigo Infantry officer's collar badge pair; photo in uniform.

DSO: LG 18/1/1918, p954, posn 8, Citation, 25/4/1918, p4990, posn 1; CAG 23/5/1918, p1125, posn 111, Citation, 24/9/1918, p1867, posn 6.

Recommendation: East of Ypres, both during operations of the 4/5th and 12/13th Octr. 1917, this Officer stood out conspicuously on account of his absolute indifference to danger and of his leadership.

On the 4th when he and his Battalion had reached their objective he personally supervised the digging in and re-organisation. He then remained in the shell holes with his men - his cheerfulness and high spirits having a wonderful effect in keeping up their courage and spirits. On the 12th his Battalion was in Reserve but was quickly absorbed as reinforcements owing to very heavy casualties. The various units had become mixed up and many Officers had become casualties so that it needed vigorous action by a senior Officer on the spot to re-organise. This task was carried out admirably by Lt. Col. Henderson in spite of the great difficulty due to marshy nature of the ground and to the heavy enemy shell fire and perfect hail of machine gun bullets which were enfilading the position. His example was a great incentive to all troops not only of his unit but of other units.

MID: LG 28/5/1918, p6202, posn 26; CAG 24/10/1918, p2056, posn 139 - Sir Douglas Haig's Despatch of 07Apr1918.

Robert Oswald Henderson, merchant (The Beehive Bendigo), age 41, born at Bendigo, Vic; Enl.23Feb1916 at Campbellfield, Vic, while still serving as a commissioned officer (16May1899) in the CMF (67th Bendigo Infy); apptd Major 01May1916 in 38Bn; Emb.20Jun1916; promoted to Lt-Col and CO 39Bn 15Feb1917; WIA 29Mar1918, GSW thumb, France; KIA 29Sep1918 at Bony-Le Catelet on the Hindenburg Line. 'At 11am Lt-Col R.O.Henderson, DSO, who had gone forward towards Gillemont farm ruins, was shot through the head by an enemy sniper and killed instantly.' (The History of the 39th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force, p235).

He was buried at St. Emilie British Cemetery, Ronsoy, by Chaplain Rev. W.A.Moore on 1st Oct 1918 and in 1930 re-buried at Templeux-Le-Guerard British Cemetery, Somme, France because the position of the St. Emilie British Cemetery conflicted with French Sanitary Laws.

In The History of the 39th Battalion Sir John Monash wrote: 'During practically the whole of its fighting career, the battalion was led by Lieut.-Colonel Henderson, D.S.O., and his death in action during what was practically the last operation in which it was engaged, meant for the battalion the loss of a gallant leader, beloved by all his men, and for me the loss of an old friend, who had, before the war, devoted long years to fitting himself for the crowning achievement of his life - to direct the efforts of this fine body of Australia's sons in the saving of Australia from foreign aggression.'

With large amount of research.