Edward Elars Delaval Henderson
Lieutenant Colonel, North Staffordshire Regiment attached and commanding 9th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment
- Register No.
- 557 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Lieutenant Colonel (register: Temp. Lieutenant Colonel) all Lieutenant-Colonels →
- Unit
- North Staffordshire Regiment attached and commanding 9th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment (register: Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment)) all Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment) VCs →
- Date of action
- 25 January 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 8th June 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Born
- 2nd October, 1878 at Simla, India
- Died
- 25th January 1917 at the River Hai, near Kut, Mesopotamia
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- at War Cemetery,Amara, Iraq, also at Whittington Barracks, Lichfield, Staffs
Digest of citation
On 25th January, 1917 on the West Bank of the River Hai, near Kut, Mesopotamia, Lieutenant Colonel Henderson brought his battalion up to the two first line trenches and they suffered heavy casualties when the enemy made a strong counter-attack, penetrating the line in several places. The situation was critical and Colonel Henderson, although wounded, jumped on to the Parapet and then advanced alone in front of his battalion, cheering them on under most intense fire over 500 yards of open ground. Again wounded, he nevertheless captured the position by a bayonet charge, but he was twice more wounded and Died on later the same day
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
HENDERSON, Edward Elars Delaval. (reg No. 557).
Lieutenant Colonel North Staffordshire Regiment attached and commanding 9th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
London Gazetted on 8th June 1917.
Born on 2nd October, 1878 at Simla, India.
Died on 25th January 1917 at the River Hai, near Kut, Mesopotamia. (Died on of wounds) .
Memorial on grave at War Cemetery,Amara, Iraq, also at Whittington Barracks, Lichfield, Staffs.
Digest of Citation reads: On 25th January, 1917 on the West Bank of the River Hai, near Kut, Mesopotamia, Lieutenant Colonel Henderson brought his battalion up to the two first line trenches and they suffered heavy casualties when the enemy made a strong counter-attack, penetrating the line in several places. The situation was critical and Colonel Henderson, although wounded, jumped on to the Parapet and then advanced alone in front of his battalion, cheering them on under most intense fire over 500 yards of open ground. Again wounded, he nevertheless captured the position by a bayonet charge, but he was twice more wounded and Died on later the same day.
Additional information:. Lieutenant-Colonel Henderson was brought back to our own lines by Lieutenant R E Phillips VC (see reg No. 986) and another comrade.
Additional information
Lieutenant-Colonel Henderson was brought back to our own lines by Lieutenant R E Phillips VC (see reg No. 986) and another comrade.
(Died on of wounds) .
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at War Cemetery,Amara, Iraq, also at Whittington Barracks, Lichfield, Staffs
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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