World War 1
Search the known records to date of those lost from the wider Alnwick area in World War 1
Generally showing where they are commemorated, when they died and some basic facts about each person. There are gaps, however, so if you can fill in any missing details do please contact us.
Robert Henderson
Forename(s):
Robert
Surname:
Henderson
Initial(s):
R
Service Number:
10904
Rank:
Private
Regiment:
Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment), 10th (Service) Battalion
Died:
03/03/1916
Aged:
22
Buried:
Menin Gate Memorial, Ieper
Service History:
Enlisted at Alnwick, Northumberland, on 25 August 1914.
Member of 14th (Reserve) Battalion on Soldier's Small Book (Army Form B.50) at York Museum but 10th (Service) Battalion on all other records.
This K2 battalion was part of 17th Northern Division, which moved to Dorset & Winchester late in 1915. An order for it to be retained for home defence was cancelled & the Division left for France in June / July 1915.
The rest of 1915 was devoted largely to trench familiarisation in the Ypres Salient.
On 15 February 1916, 10th (Service) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment, collected in Scottish Wood in Divisional Reserve. For the rest of the month & through March 'A' & 'B' Companies held in front line with 'C' & 'D' in support - the Companies exchanged positions every few days. Battalion HQ was at 'The Spoil Heap' on southern bank of the Comines-Ypres Canal.
On 28 February, an intelligence report on enemy works & strong points on the Bluff led to them being targeted by British artillery, which, the following day, 'poured a continual storm of shells onto the Bluff'.
An attack took place at 04:30 on 2 March with complete success. The 10th (Service) Battalion did not take part but it was subjected to heavy fire from enemy guns from 05:30 to mid-day. One section of trench, V.28, was completely demolished & 'The Spoil Heap' & Battalion HQ 'practically ceased to exist'.
Battalion casualties for the day numbered 120 men, Henderson included.
(Source: Quoted by Robert Wake: Wyrall, 'The West Yorkshire Regiment in the War 1914-1918', p. 337.)
Background:
Henderson's mother & sole legatee recorded in the UK, Registers of Soldiers' Effects, 1901-1929 (available via Ancestry.co.uk), was Alice.
Pre-enlistment occupation: General Labourer.
(Source: Of information & photograph: Robert Wake of York Castle Museum, November 2014)
Henderson's Soldier's Small Book (Army Form B. 50); campaign medals; Death Penny; the accompanying photograph; & a letter concerning his Bronze Star Medal; are all in York Museum's collection - 1977.571.1; CA556; CA518; CA576; CA2126; 1977.571.2; & 1977.572.5; all pre-fixed with 'YORCM:'
Local Memorial:
Alnwick War Memorial
