Herbert Stephen Henderson

He carried his wounded comrade home through hostile country.

Herbert Stephen Henderson was born at Hillhead, Glasgow, on 30 March 1870. Educated at Kelvinside Academy, he trained as an engineer through an apprenticeship in Glasgow and subsequent employment in Belfast. In 1892 he moved to southern Africa, and two years later he took engineering work at Queen's Mine in Rhodesia.

When fighting broke out in Matabeleland in 1896, Henderson served as a trooper with the Bulawayo Field Force. The conflict placed isolated parties and settlements in danger, with movement between them requiring men to cross country where an encounter could cut them off from help.

Before dawn on 30 March, a patrol under Captain Macfarlane was surprised near Campbell's Store. Henderson and Trooper Celliers, part of its advanced guard, became separated from the main party. Celliers was shot through the knee, and his horse was mortally wounded.

Henderson put the injured man on his own horse and attempted to bring him to Bulawayo, roughly thirty-five miles away. They travelled mainly in darkness and concealed themselves in the bush during daylight. Celliers suffered from blood loss and pain and asked to be left behind, but Henderson refused. After two days and a night without food, he brought his companion to safety.

The rescue led to the Victoria Cross, announced in May 1897 and presented by Lord Milner at Bulawayo in November. Henderson returned to mining engineering after the campaign. His civilian skill remained his occupation throughout the rest of his working life, and he continued living in the region where he had served.

He died at Bulawayo on 10 August 1942 and was buried in the town cemetery. His family retained the Victoria Cross for many years before donating it to the National Army Museum in 2007.

Official Victoria Cross citation

On the morning of the 30th March, 1896, just before daylight, Captain Macfarlane’s party was surprised by the natives. Troopers Celliers and Henderson, who formed part of the advanced guard, were cut off from the main body, and Celliers was shot through the knee. His horse also was badly wounded and eventually died. Henderson then placed Celliers on his own horse, and made the best of his way to Buluwayo. The country between Campbell’s Store, where they were cut off, and Buluwayo, a distance of about thirty-five miles, was full of natives fully armed, and they had, therefore, to proceed principally by night, hiding in the bush in the daytime. Celliers, who was weak from loss of blood, and in great agony, asked Henderson to leave him, but he would not, and brought him in, after passing two days and one night in the veldt without food.

The London Gazette of 7 May 1897, Numb. 26850, p. 2535