The AIF Project

Nelson John HENDERSON

Regimental number3137
Place of birthSydney, New South Wales
ReligionPresbyterian
OccupationClerk
Address2 Denman Avenue, Haberfield, New South Wales
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation24
Height5' 6.5"
Weight116 lbs
Next of kinMother, Mrs S Henderson, 2 Denman Avenue, Haberfield, New South Wales
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date21 August 1915
Place of enlistmentSydney, New South Wales
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name20th Battalion, 7th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/37/2
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A29 Suevic on 20 December 1915
Regimental number from Nominal Roll3137A
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll56th Battalion
FateReturned to Australia No date of fate entered on Nom
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: James and Sarah HENDERSON
Discharge date23 August 1919
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Taken on strength, 56th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 16 February 1916.

Admitted to 14th Field Ambulance, Ferry Post, 8 April 1916 (pyrexia, unknown origin), and transferred same day to 15th Field Ambulance; rejoined Bn, 14 April 1916.

Letter 'A' attached to Regimental No owing to duplication, 29 June 1917.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916.

Admitted to 14th Field Ambulance, 10 August 1916; discharged to duty, 11 August 1916 (no further details recorded).

Wounded in action, and admitted to 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station, 11 August 1916 (gun shot wound, left knee); transferred to 32nd Stationary Hospital, Wimereux, 13 August 1916; to England, 18 August 1916, and admitted to Bradford War Hospital, 19 August 1916 (wound: slight); discharged to Command Depot, Perham Downs, 8 September 1916.

Marched in to No 2 Command Depot, Weymouth (date not recorded); marched in to No 4 Command Depot, Wareham, from Weymouth, 10 January 1917.

Found guilty, 28 April 1917, of being absent without leave from 9 am, 25 April, to 9 am, 28 April 1917: awarded 7 days' Field Punishment No 2, and forfeiture of a total of 10 days' pay.

Transferred to 63rd Bn, 1 May 1917.

Promoted Corporal, 13 June 1917.

Transferred to 56th Bn, 19 September 1917.

Appointed Lance Sergeant, 11 September 1917.

Proceeded overseas to France, 14 October 1917; taken on strength, 56th Bn, in the field, 26 October 1917.

Admitted to 24th General Hospital, Etaples, 28 January 1918 (not yet diagnosed); transferred to England, 25 February 1918 (trench fever), and admitted to Red Cross Hospital, Christchurch, affiliated with Alexandra Hospital, Cosham, 26 February 1918 (trench fever: slight); to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, 28 March 1918; discharged on furlough, 2 April 1918, to report to No 4 Command Depot, Hurdcott, 16 April 1918.

Promoted Temporary Company Sergeant Major, 27 May 1918, and taken on strength of Permanent Cadre of No 4 command Depot.

Marched in to Overseas Training Brigade, Longbridge Deverill, 14 June 1918, and reverted to Temporary Sergeant.

Re-transferred to 56th Bn, 14 June 1918.

Proceeded overseas to France, 10 July 1918; rejoined 56th Bn, in the field, 17 July 1918.

Wounded in action (second occasion), 23 August 1918 (shrapnel wound, face), and admitted to 1st Australian Field Ambulance, and discharged same day.

Wounded in action (third occasion), 1 October 1918 (shrapnel wound, leg), and admitted to 132nd Field Ambulance, and reverted to Lance Sergeant; transferred to 53rd Casualty Clearing Station, and then to Ambulance Train No 42, 1 October 1918; to 6th General Hospital, Rouen, 2 October 1918; to England, 4 October 1918, and admitted to 2nd Western General Hospital, Manchester; transferred to 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, 13 November 1918; discharged on furlough, 15 November 1918, to report to No 4 Command Depot, Hurdcott, 29 November 1918.

Marched out to 1st Training Brigade Depot, 5 February 1919.

Admitted to 1st Australian General Hospital, Sutton Veny, 20 February 1919 (influenza); discharged to duty, 2 March 1919.

Granted leave without pay, 21 March-20 June 1919; reason: family; extension granted (without pay), 21 June-4 July 1919; reason - return to Australia at own expense via America; returned on SS 'Venture'; disembarked Sydney, 1 July 1919; discharged (termination of period of enlistment), Sydney, 23 August 1919.

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

Wife wrote to Base Records, 26 May 1929, on behalf of her husband, to claim his war medals: 'The cause of this long delay is that my husband has been a pensioner for T.B. & consequently this matter was unattended to.' Note: no record of marriage on service file.
Date of death1 December 1929
Age at death37
Place of burialWaverly Cemetery (Section 16, Grave No. 447G), New South Wales
SourcesNAA: B2455, HENDERSON Nelson John

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