Returned to Australia (RTA)

John Keltie Henderson was born in 1893, in Rockdale, Sydney to William and Elizabeth Henderson. The family lived in ‘Fernlea’ Quay Street, Bulimba.

John was employed as a clerk but enlisted as a labourer in Brisbane on 4 January 1916 aged 22 years. He was assigned as a Private in the 11th Depot Battalion before being sent to Seymour, Victoria on 4 May 1916 where he joined the 3rd Company Machine Gun Department. He embarked from Australia on 16 August 1916 on the “R.M.S.Orontes” from Melbourne where he was transferred to the 11th Machine Gun Company. He arrived in France on 23 November 1916.

He was hospitalised with constipation and influenza in February 1917. On 10 June 1917 he was wounded in action receiving an arm wound. He was back in “the field” in France from November 1917 to March 1918 with the 870th and 869th Companies. John was on leave in England in July 1918 and between December 1918 and March 1919. He returned to Australia embarking on the 10 May 1919 with the 28th Battalion. John was entitled to the British War and Victory Medals.

John is remembered on the Methodist (Uniting) Church Honour Board. He married Hilda Thomas in 1919 and they lived in Alpha Street, Taringa in Brisbane by 1923. The “Henderson tree” was on the right of the main entrance to Bulimba Memorial Park.

He died in Brisbane in 1976 aged 83 years and is buried at Mt Thompson Crematorium.