Distinguished Service Order : Lieutenant Colonel W A Henderson, 1 Pioneer Battalion, AIF

Distinguished Service Order. Unnamed as issued.

Born in Richmond, Victoria in 1882, William Alexander Henderson was educated at Ulmarra Public School in New South Wales. He trained as an architect and was working in that profession when he enlisted in the AIF in September 1915. With several years' experience in the Militia, Henderson obtained a commission in the AIF and was appointed Commanding Officer, 5th Field Company, Engineers. He embarked with his unit aboard HMAT A40 Ceramic at Melbourne in November 1915. Henderson was recommended for, but did not receive, the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for his work under heavy artillery fire at Pozieres in July 1916. In October 1916 Henderson was appointed Acting Commander, Royal Engineers (CRE), 2nd Division.

Promoted to lieutenant colonel and appointed to command the 1st Pioneer Battalion in January 1917, Henderson was mentioned in despatches and awarded the DSO for his work with this unit during the campaigns of that year. The recommendation for the DSO reads, 'For his excellent services in February 1917 on the Somme between GUEUDECORT and EAUCORT L'ABBAYE in connection with the construction of dugouts, communications trenches and Decauville Railways, also in the advance on LE BARQUE and THILLOY between 27th February 1917 and 7th March 1917 and again in the operations against BULLECOURT between the 4th and 10th May, 1917, when he personally superintended the digging of communication trenches under heavy shell and machine gun fire. During the recent operations of the SECOND ARMY east of YPRES both before and after the successful attack on the 20th September Colonel HENDERSON'S Battalion was employed on communications, train lines, burying cables etc. The work was satisfactorily carried out, often under heavy shellfire, under Colonel HENDERSONS personal supervision. He has always shown great devotion to duty regardless of personal risk'.

After a short detachment to the Pioneer Instructional School in Rouen between February and May 1918, Henderson was appointed CRE, 1st Division. He held the command for the remainder of the war.

For his eminent service during the war, Henderson was also twice mentioned in despatches, made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George and made an officer of the Order of Leopold by the Belgian Government. Henderson is mentioned in two volumes (1916 and 1917) of C E W Bean's Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-18.

After the First World War, Henderson maintained his connection with the army by serving with the Militia and was later awarded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration for his long service. During the Second World War he served as Chief Engineer, Headquarters Southern Command, and then as Temporary Brigadier and Acting Chief Engineer, 2nd Australian Army until his discharge on 3 June 1943. William Henderson died in Melbourne in 1949.