On the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France is the name of 16/776 Private Irving Henderson, serving with “C” Company  16th (Service) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers who died 01/07/1916.

Irving Henderson was the son of John Watt Henderson and Ellen Catherine Henderson, of South View House, South Shields.

In Westoe Cemetery are the remains of a family headstone which reads:-

Side 1
(Suggested
In loving memory of
Irving
beloved son of John Watt and)
Mary Ellen Henderson
killed in France July 1st 1916
aged 27 years

Side 2
(Suggested
Also
Ellen Catherine
the beloved wife of)
John Watt Henderson
died October 30th 1924
aged 65 years

Also
John Watt Henderson
(Suggested
died February 21st 1927
aged 67 years)

Irving was born in 1889,the son of baker and grocer, John Watt Henderson. His mother was Maltese-born Ellen Catherine Trimble.

John Watt Henderson served on the South Shields council, and was Mayor of South Shields 1912-13, and elected Alderman towards the end of his term.

The family resided at 8 Sydenham Terrace. He attended Westoe Boys school.

Irving trained to be an architect and became a member of the Northern Architectural Association, located at 6 Higham Place in Newcastle.

He was apprenticed to Messrs. J. H. Morton and Sons of South Shields. He was also a member of the South Shields rifle club.

Irving was killed on the 1st July 1916 at the Battle of the Somme in the follow up wave near to the ‘Glory Hole’.

He was in the 9th platoon of ‘C’ Company and in the War Diary for the 1st July 1916, “ The enemy’s fire was so intense that the advance was checked & the waves, or what was left of them, were forced to lie down. On observing this, ‘C’ Coy the support Coy, moved out to reinforce the front line, losing a great number of men by in doing so. BN HQ was moved to the front line trench about 50 S of junction of Hamilton Av at 7.40am. & seeing the position orders were given for ‘D’ Coy, the reserve Coy to advance. Getting over the parapet the first platoon lost a great number of men & the remainder of the Coy was ordered to “stand fast” & and hold the line”

At nightfall the War Diary has a summary which reads: “A. Coy of the 2. R.I.F. commanded by Capt. Williams rendered excellent work in carrying back the wounded men who were lying out. Our S.B. [Stretcher Bearers] also did good work all day as did everybody who took part in the attack. The men of the attacking Coys moved forward like one man until the murderous fire of the enemy’s M.G. forced them to halt. Not a man wavered & after nightfall we found in several places, straight lines of ten or twelve dead or badly wounded as if the Platoons had just been dressed for parade.”

Source :16th Northumberland Fusiliers Battalion War Diary

The Newcastle Journal 13/07/1916 reports:-
Ald. and Mrs J. W. Henderson, of Sydenham Terrace, South Shields, have received information that their son, Private Irving Henderson, been killed in action. He joined the Commercials soon after the outbreak of war, and was serving in the Northumberland Fusiliers. Private Henderson was an architect to profession, and before the war held Government appointment, which relinquished in order join forces.

Alderman John Watt Henderson his father presented Westoe Secondary School with a framed photo of the devastated Basilica at Albert, in memory of his son.

Sources: Mike Todd; James Hoy Archive;  Western Front Association;  British Newspaper Archive; National Archives;  16th Battalion Northumberland Fusilier Book;

Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-

Irving Henderson was one of 8 children of whom only 5 survived to adulthood, offspring of John Watt Henderson and Ellen Catherine Trimble. 

John Watt Henderson was born at South Shields, in 1859, he was the son of bricklayer Robert Henderson and his wife Hannah. His future wife was born in Malta as her father had a career in the Army. Upon their return to England he was a Captain & Adjutant in the 1st Newcastle & Durham Volunteer Engineers, a unit of the British Army assigned to the defence of the North East Coast. 

John and Ellen Catherine were married at South Shield in 1882 where all their surviving children were born, Ethel Mary in 1883, Ada Norval 1884, Victor Norval 1886, Irving, March 24th 1889 and Ellen Catherine 1890. 

In 1891 the family were living at 8, Sydenham Terrace, South Shields, John Watt Henderson was the proprietor of a grocery business, however his eldest daughter Ethel Mary became a school teacher, employed by the local Council, and by 1911, Ada (26), Victor (25), Irving (20) and Ellen (20) were all assisting their father who had expanded his business as a baker and grocer. Irving, who as a young man had attended Westoe Secondary School went on to train as an architect and became a member of the Northern Architectural Association.

John Watt Henderson was elected Mayor of South Shields 1912/13.

When war was declared with Germany, August 4th 1914, all regiments were ordered to raise new battalions in answer to Kitchener’s call to arms. Men from all walks of life between the ages of 18-41 years volunteered to defend their Country. 

Irving Henderson was one of the first to enlist and to be posted to the newly formed 16th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, a Pals Battalion, raised by the Newcastle & Gateshead Chamber of Commerce. They were initially trained near home then moved to Shropshire in May 1915, concentrated at Prees Camp they were attached to the 96th Brigade, 32nd Division. 

With the onset of winter the camp became too wet for training and they were moved to Wensley and Richmond in Yorkshire and given use of the firing ranges at Stenshall. August 1915 they transferred to Salisbury Plain for final training and departed to France. Private 776 Irving Henderson, ‘C’ Company, 16th Battalion N.F. departed November 23rd 1915, landing at Boulogne.

During the spring of 1916 preparations were already underway for the pending Battles of the Somme. Programmed to begin June 29th 1916 the opening Battles of the Somme were delayed by bad weather until July 1st 1916. After the detonation of the ammunition packed tunnels under the German lines, at 7:30 the whistles blew and the men went over the top. The 16th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers was tasked with taking the village of Thiepval. 

Initially reported as missing/and or wounded, after extensive investigations as to whereabouts of Private Henderson it was officially accepted that he was dead. His sacrifice is recorded as one of over 72,000 names inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Thiepval, France commemorating servicemen from the United Kingdom and South Africa who died on the Somme between 1915-1918, who have no known grave.

Private Irving Henderson’s father Alderman John Watt Henderson received all monies due to his late son and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal, sent to him at South View House, South Shields, historically in County Durham. He also received personal effects in the sum of £110, April 26th 1917.

Ellen Catherine Henderson nee Trimble died in 1924, her widower John Watt Henderson, resident at South View House, South Shields died August 18th 1927, His effects in the sum of £456 13 shillings 6 pence were assigned to Ada Norval Ridley nee Henderson, widow and John Blinks Potts, confectioner, his youngest daughter Ellen Catherine’s husband.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

Irving Henderson is remembered at South Shields on S86.027, S86.046, in S86.086 page 7, at Harton on H104.03, and H104.07, at  Newcastle on NUT016 and in the Battalion History  page 161.