John James William Henderson (1912 - 1942)

Born 12 Jul 1912 in Bairnsdale, Victoria, Australia

Ancestors

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 29 in At Sea

Biography

Jim Henderson was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Jim Henderson died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

John James William Henderson was born in 1912 at Bairnsdale, VIC, the son of William Henderson and Marion Rose Willis.

He enlisted in the Australian Army for overseas service at Caulfield, VIC on 10 June 1940 as a Private (VX19568), having completed his attestation form at Sale, VIC on 29 May 1940. At the time he was single, a labourer and was living in Bairnsdale with his father. He had black hair and hazel eyes.

He was serving with the Militia in the 13/19th Light Horse. He was initially identified for the 2/4th Field Regt, but was posted to 2/22nd Bn on 17 July 1940.

He entrained from Victoria for Sydney on 11 March 1941, embarking there on HMT "Katoomba" on 12 March 1941 for Rabaul, New Britain in the Territory of New Guinea and disembarking there on 28 March 1941. His Battalion was to form the core of "Lark Force" for the defence of the Territory.

Interestingly, he was fined for being AWL at sea for about 18 hours on the voyage.

After the Japanese invasion of 23 January 1942 he was captured on the Lassul Bay coast and became a Prisoner of War, initially held at Rabaul. Japanese records have him as a part of B Coy.

He died on board the "Montevideo Maru" when it was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of the Philippines on 01 July 1942, en route from Rabaul to Hainan where he was destined for forced labour.

Sources

• Birth - Victoria BDM Birth index - Event: births; Registration number: 17084 / 1912; Family name: HENDERSON; Given name(s): Jno Jas Wm; Place of event: BAIRNSDALE, VIC, Australia; Personal detail Mother's name: Marion Rose; Mother's family name at birth: WILLIS; Father's Name: Wm

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - HENDERSON JOHN JAMES WILLIAM : Service Number - VX19568 : Date of birth - 12 Jul 1912 : Place of birth - BAIRNSDALE VIC : Place of enlistment - CAULFIELD VIC : Next of Kin - HENDERSON W - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=6213605

• Deaths On Active Service - Family Notices (1945, October 26). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 2. Retrieved April 28, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12149296

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1690725

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2615775/henderson,-john-james-william/