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Trooper William Henderson
Description
TitleTrooper William HendersonSummaryA soldier in World War One. DescriptionWilliam was born at Halkett on 3 March 1885, third son Gilbert and Margaret Henderson. Before enlisting he was farming at Halkett. He had previous military experience having served with the Waimakariri Mounted Rifles. He was 5ft 8½in tall with a fair complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair.
William enlisted at Darfield on 17 November 1916 and was assigned to the 29th Reinforcements, Mounted Rifles Brigade. He seems to have not begun his service until January 1917. He was promoted to Corporal on 28 January and retained the rank throughout his training. On 13th November 1917 he embarked on board the Tofua, bound for Suez and disembarked there just before Christmas on 21st December 1917. He was sent immediately to Moascar and relinquished his rank of Corporal. He was posted to the Imperial Camel Corps on 5th January 1918 and proceeded to their reserve depot in Abbassia arriving on 8th January. He joined the Corps in the field on 15th February. He served with them for six months until on 31 July 1918 he was transferred to the 2nd Mounted Machine Gun Squadron. The Machine-Gun Squadron was a sub-unit of the New Zealand Military Forces during the First World War. It was part of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, and served with them in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign from 1916 to 1918. On 3rd October an accident resulted in gunshot wounds to his neck. Later investigation showed that the wound was caused by a revolver bullet from the gun of Sgt Middleton. Much of the rest of William’s file is taken up with the attempt to find out what had happened. Unfortunately the two others involved had been sent back to New Zealand. Statements obtained showed that Sgt Middleton and Trooper Campbell had both obtained revolvers and ammunition and were trying to fire them. Sergeant Middleton’s gun went off unexpectedly and struck William in the neck. He was admitted to the Field Ambulance and then to the French Hospital in Damascus on 4th October where he died of his wounds on 19th October. He was first buried in the Protestant Cemetery (grave 68) but now lies in the Damascus Commonwealth War Cemetery. In New Zealand William is remembered on a Memorial at Halkett Presbyterian Church and on the Southbridge School Roll of Honour.
CWGC Cemetery locale history: The cemetery dates from the First World War when Damascus was entered by Commonwealth forces on 1 October 1918. The first medical unit arriving the next day found the Turkish hospitals crowded with sick and wounded, and a few days later an epidemic of influenza and cholera broke out. The First World War burials in this cemetery were mostly from these hospitals. The Second World War burials began in 1941 during the operations against the Vichy French, and later on graves were moved into the cemetery from civilian burial grounds, Deraa French Military Cemetery, and from scattered sites in the areas where the fighting occurred. The first burials were in a tree belt between the cemetery boundaries and the low wall which enclosed the plots of existing graves. Adjoining land to the west, known as "The Cypresses", was acquired by the military authorities when it became necessary to enlarge the cemetery. DAMASCUS COMMONWEALTH WAR CEMETERY now contains 661 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 74 of the burials are unidentified and, in the new part of the cemetery, a special tablet commemorates six men of the Indian army who were buried in Damascus Indian War Cemetery but whose graves are now lost. Second World War burials number 504, of which 14 are unidentified. The cemetery also contains seven war graves of other nationalities. The DAMASCUS 1939-45 MEMORIAL also stands within the cemetery. This simple screen memorial commemorates ten Arab soldiers whose graves in Syria, Lebanon and Israel are so situated that permanent maintenance is not possible.First NameWilliamLast NameHendersonFamilySingleThird son Gilbert and Margaret HendersonDate of Birth3 March 1885Place of BirthHalkettDate of Death19 October 1918Place of DeathPalestineCause of DeathAccidental death
William enlisted at Darfield on 17 November 1916 and was assigned to the 29th Reinforcements, Mounted Rifles Brigade. He seems to have not begun his service until January 1917. He was promoted to Corporal on 28 January and retained the rank throughout his training. On 13th November 1917 he embarked on board the Tofua, bound for Suez and disembarked there just before Christmas on 21st December 1917. He was sent immediately to Moascar and relinquished his rank of Corporal. He was posted to the Imperial Camel Corps on 5th January 1918 and proceeded to their reserve depot in Abbassia arriving on 8th January. He joined the Corps in the field on 15th February. He served with them for six months until on 31 July 1918 he was transferred to the 2nd Mounted Machine Gun Squadron. The Machine-Gun Squadron was a sub-unit of the New Zealand Military Forces during the First World War. It was part of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, and served with them in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign from 1916 to 1918. On 3rd October an accident resulted in gunshot wounds to his neck. Later investigation showed that the wound was caused by a revolver bullet from the gun of Sgt Middleton. Much of the rest of William’s file is taken up with the attempt to find out what had happened. Unfortunately the two others involved had been sent back to New Zealand. Statements obtained showed that Sgt Middleton and Trooper Campbell had both obtained revolvers and ammunition and were trying to fire them. Sergeant Middleton’s gun went off unexpectedly and struck William in the neck. He was admitted to the Field Ambulance and then to the French Hospital in Damascus on 4th October where he died of his wounds on 19th October. He was first buried in the Protestant Cemetery (grave 68) but now lies in the Damascus Commonwealth War Cemetery. In New Zealand William is remembered on a Memorial at Halkett Presbyterian Church and on the Southbridge School Roll of Honour.
CWGC Cemetery locale history: The cemetery dates from the First World War when Damascus was entered by Commonwealth forces on 1 October 1918. The first medical unit arriving the next day found the Turkish hospitals crowded with sick and wounded, and a few days later an epidemic of influenza and cholera broke out. The First World War burials in this cemetery were mostly from these hospitals. The Second World War burials began in 1941 during the operations against the Vichy French, and later on graves were moved into the cemetery from civilian burial grounds, Deraa French Military Cemetery, and from scattered sites in the areas where the fighting occurred. The first burials were in a tree belt between the cemetery boundaries and the low wall which enclosed the plots of existing graves. Adjoining land to the west, known as "The Cypresses", was acquired by the military authorities when it became necessary to enlarge the cemetery. DAMASCUS COMMONWEALTH WAR CEMETERY now contains 661 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 74 of the burials are unidentified and, in the new part of the cemetery, a special tablet commemorates six men of the Indian army who were buried in Damascus Indian War Cemetery but whose graves are now lost. Second World War burials number 504, of which 14 are unidentified. The cemetery also contains seven war graves of other nationalities. The DAMASCUS 1939-45 MEMORIAL also stands within the cemetery. This simple screen memorial commemorates ten Arab soldiers whose graves in Syria, Lebanon and Israel are so situated that permanent maintenance is not possible.First NameWilliamLast NameHendersonFamilySingleThird son Gilbert and Margaret HendersonDate of Birth3 March 1885Place of BirthHalkettDate of Death19 October 1918Place of DeathPalestineCause of DeathAccidental death
Connections
Military Service
Memorial or Cemetery Damascus Commonwealth War CemeterySouthbridge School Roll of HonourHalkett Presbyterian ChurchOccupation before EnlistingFarmerRegiment or ServiceNew Zealand Mounted RiflesEnlistment Details17th November 1916 at DarfieldService Number43165Rank Last HeldTrooper Embarkation13th November 1917TransportTofuaReinforcement29th ReinforcementsCountryNew Zealand
Attribution
Researched ByL. M. Seaton
Trooper William Henderson. Selwyn Stories, accessed 13/02/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/417
