Hugh Henderson

Killed in Action on the 21/12/1914 at Festubert during the defence of Givenchy (part of the Winter operations, 1914-15)

Hugh and the Battalion were in Ambala, India in August 1914 and were part of the Sirhind Brigade, 3rd (Lahore) Division. They moved to France via Egypt, landing at Marseilles on the 02/12/1914 (some weeks after the other Brigades of the Division). Hugh was Killed in Action at Festubert during the defence of Givenchy 20th - 21st December 1914 : The epicentre of the bombardment was the front held by the Sirhind Brigade, on which on this occasion the German had an extra ace to play. The Brigade was of course still in the process of recovering and reorganising after the fighting of the previous day, and as such its front line was being held by a very mixed set of units. "A" Company of the 1st Highland Light Infantry, two double Companies of the 1/4th Ghurkas and two machine gun teams from the 125th Rifles held the line. On their left came another Company of the 1st Highland Light Infantry and two double Companies of the 1/1st Ghurkas. Parts of the 1st Highland Light Infantry, 1/1st Ghurkas and 125th Rifles were not far behind, in local reserve on the Festubert road. Givenchy would acquire a terrible reputation as being a place for that most feared of trench fighting technique, and the explosion under the Brigade's trenches was the harbinger of many horrors yet to come. The timing of the explosions had been set in order to give the German engineers daylight in which to test the electrical circuits and to make any improvements needed before the switches were thrown. The Sirhind Brigade had been caught out by the very thing that all British units had been warned to look out for : the Germans digging saps out from their front line towards the British. From the sapheads closest to the brigade's parapets, just three metres away, German engineers had tunnelled below and quietly laid the charges. It was not until later than an assessment could be made of the exact effect of the German mines, but it was immediately evident that it had been very grave. On the Brigade's right front, one of the of the double companies of the 1/4th Ghurkas were simply erased, apparently without survivors. The greater part of half a company of the 1st Highland Light Infantry suffered the same fate. The 1st Battalion casualties for this action were : 2 Officers and 54 Non-Commissioned Officers and Other Ranks Killed, 63 Non-Commissioned Officers and Other Ranks Wounded, 8 Officers and 266 Non-Commissioned Officers and Other Ranks Missing. SEE PHOTOS x 11 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY FOR DECEMBER 1914 AND A MAP OF THE LOCATIONS OF FIGHTING IN DECEMBER 1914. HUGH WAS 1 OF 174 OF HIS BATTALION KILLED DURING THE FAILED ATTEMPT TO DISLODGE THE GERMANS AT GIVENCHY IN DECEMBER 1914 JUST 4 DAYS BEFORE THE 1st CHRISTMAS OF THE WAR AND JUST 19 DAYS AFTER HUGH ARRIVED IN FRANCE. Hugh is listed as 4th BATTALION on the Coatbridge Memorial. He is also remembered on the St. Patrick's Church Roll of Honour (see Newspaper clipping), St. Augustine's Parish (book) and the Stewarts and Lloyds Roll of Honour plaque (see photos x 3). See photos for Hugh's Medal Index Card, his Ireland Catholic Parish Register (Strabane), his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Le Touret Memorial Panel List, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his listing in the Ireland Casualties of WW1, Hugh's name in the De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour, his name on the Le Touret Memorial, Hughs Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, the Highland Light Infantry Cap Badge, Hugh's Pension Records x 2 and his Attestation Papers from the 24/04/1908 x 4.