W is for West Africa

James Morphett (Jim) Henderson (1915 - 1942) was the only son of Leo Morphett Henderson (1874 - 1965) and Dorothea Nevill Henderson née Cudmore (1876 - 1925). Dorothea was the sister of my great grandfather Arthur Murray Cudmore and thus Jim was one of my grandmother's many cousins.

SONS of EMPIRE. (1942, March 19). Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954), p. 15. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38425838

On 3 February 1941 at the age of twenty-five Jim Henderson enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force at Perth, Western Australia. He was assigned service number 406560.

Hopelands. (1941, June 13). South Western Advertiser (Perth, WA : 1910 - 1954), p. 4. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article149834946

Jim, a noted polo player, was farewelled by family, friends and well wishers on 2 June 1941.

He was trained in Vancouver, a participant in course 33 of No. 7 Service Flying Training School of the Royal Canadian Air Force Station at McLeod, Alberta. The 11th Draft sailed from Sydney on 13 June 1941 and arrived at Vancouver on 3 July. (http://rcaffortmacleod.blogspot.com.au/2012_12_01_archive.html)

Flying officer Henderson was assigned to the Royal Air Force 95 Squadron. In 1942 95 Squadron was based at Freetown, Sierra Leone, on the west coast of Africa. Jim was a pilot on a Sunderland flying boat.

 Short Sunderland, T9040 'SE-E', of No. 95 Squadron RAF, moored in Fourah Bay, Freetown, Sierra Leone.© IWM (CM 2564-83-36)

A Short Sunderland Mark III of No. 95 Squadron RAF, based at Jui, Sierra Leone, flying along the coast of West Africa on a patrol, photographed from another aircraft of the Squadron.

© IWM (CM 4868)

Letter to Leo Morphett Henderson advising that his son has been reported missing. NAA: A705, 163/35/191 Page 34 of 39

Jim was a pilot on a Sunderland flying boat L5805, which had been detailed to escort a ship to Freetown, Sierra Leone on 11 June 1942. Jim's plane went missing flying over the Atlantic about 135 miles west of Freetown, Sierra Leone. The aircraft was last seen circling the ship on a bearing of 284 degrees approximately 135 miles from Freetown in the early hours of 11 June, after which it flew off in a north easterly direction. At 14:00 hours what was possibly a white light was sighted at a low height, but no sound of engines was heard. During the next three days extensive air and sea searches were carried out, but no trace of the aircraft or crew were found. It was presumed that the aircraft ditched at sea during the night patrol and that the crew were killed.

The Operations Record Book (ORB) records that on 10 June 1942 L5805 Sunderland B/95 was airborne at 22:55 on patrol. The official records for that week recorded bad weather. Searching aircraft from 95 Squadron over the next days saw nothing but oil patches, apparently recent. 

NAA: A705, 163/35/191 Page 7 of 39

Jim was the only Australian on board the aeroplane. His stepmother wrote inquiring if his [former] co-pilot Harry Horner was with him at the time. The answer was no. Harold Vincent Horner born 1911, service number 406595, survived the war and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Harry had also trained at Fort Macleod in Canada.

NAA: A705, 163/35/191 Page 33 of 39

James Morphett Henderson's nae is on the Malta Memorial at Valletta together with those of almost 2,300 airmen who lost their lives during the Second World War while serving with the Commonwealth Air Forces. They flew from bases in Austria, Italy, Sicily, islands of the Adriatic and Mediterranean, Malta, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, West Africa, Yugoslavia and Gibraltar. All of these men have no known grave.

The Serpentine Polo Club remembered their former team mate with a trophy named in his memory. (POLO 4 Teams To Compete For J. M. Henderson Memorial Shield. (1951, February 15). South Western Advertiser (Perth, WA : 1910 - 1954), p. 16. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article149807405)

As at 2015 the Serpentine Polo Club still plays for the Henderson Shield.  It is played for as part of the WA State Handicap tournament and is the B grade competition's main trophy.  It is very coveted and treasured by the players.  They normally play the tournament in March every year. (email 28 April 2015 Serpentine Polo Club)

Additional sources

• National Archives of Australia: A705, 163/35/191, HENDERSON James Morphett - (Flying Officer); Service Number - 406560; File type - Casualty - Repatriation; Aircraft - Sunderland L 5805; Place - Freetown, Sierra Leone; Date - 11 June 1942
• RAF 95 Squadron http://www.95squadron.co.uk/
• In Memory of the Crew of a No 95 Squadron Sunderland L5805 B/95
  who perished on 10th June 1942, which was lost over the Atlantic Ocean http://www.95squadron.co.uk/b95.html
• Wikipedia: No. 95 Squadron RAF
• Film of a Sunderland flying http://www.britishpathe.com/video/sunderland-flying-boat

A is for aviator: Ernest Osmond Cudmore

Several of my relatives joined the Royal Air Force, or Royal Flying Corps as it was called during World War 1. I have written previously about Hugh Vivian Champion de Crespigny. Two other relatives, cousins of my paternal grandmother joined up: Frederick Cudmore Andrews and Ernest Osmund Cudmore. They both were captured and both became prisoners of war in the same camp, Holzminden in Lower Saxony.

Ernest Osmond Cudmore was born 2 July 1894 at Glen Osmond, South Australia. He was the second of four sons of Milo Robert Cudmore (1852 - 1913) and Constance Cudmore née Alexander (1858 - 1913). Milo was the brother of James Francis Cudmore, my great great grandfather and Ernest was the cousin of my great grandfather Arthur Murray Cudmore.

Ernest Cudmore in 1917 at the time he was issued with his flying licence (certificate) by the Royal Aero Club. Ancestry.com. Great Britain, Royal Aero Club Aviators’ Certificates, 1910-1950 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.

When Ernest was fourteen his leg was broken when he was thrown from a horse. The bone did not set and his leg had to be amputated below the knee.

Wentworth (1908, July 16). The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929), p. 8. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article60318056

Wentworth (1908, September 10). The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), p. 12. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5181294

After the death of their parents in 1913, the four Cudmore boys were cared for by their aunt Lilian Alexander (1861 - 1931), a pioneering woman doctor. She became a noted surgeon in Victoria.

Ernest took up racing motorbikes. In August 1916 he participated in a 24 hours' reliability trial riding a 7 horsepower Indian in the sidecar class of over 600c.

24 HOURS TRIAL. (1916, August 16). Referee (Sydney, NSW : 1886 - 1939), p. 13. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article121180077

Ernest Cudmore sailed for England and acquired his aviation certificate at Bournemouth on 26 April 1917.

Ancestry.com. Great Britain, Royal Aero Club Aviators’ Certificates, 1910-1950 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.

Until 1911 the British military did not have any pilot training facilities. As a result most military pilots of the period were trained by members of the Royal Aero Club. By the end of World War 1, more than 6,300 military pilots had taken RAeC Aviator's Certificates.

On 6 June 1917 Ernest Cudmore enlisted in the Royal Air Force. On 23 August 1917 he was discharged as a 3rd class air mechanic as he had received a temporary commission on probation as a 2nd lieutenant in the General List for duty with the Royal Flying Corps. He was described at this time as 6 foot tall, keen and efficient with good military character.  No descriptive marks were noted; the wooden leg was not mentioned.

His next of kin to be informed of casualties as recorded on the service records was Mrs D. H. Cudmore, Union Bank of Australia, Cornhill, London. This is probably Mrs Martha Cudmore, the widow of Ernest's uncle Daniel Henry Cashel Cudmore (1844 - 1913). She had sons fighting in the war, including Collier Robert Cudmore and Milo Massey Cudmore, cousins of Ernest.

Ernest was confirmed in his rank of 2nd Lieutenant with effect from 13 November 1917. (London Gazette 15 December 1917). He was mentioned in dispatches gazetted 30 May 1919.

On 5 February 1918 Ernest Cudmore went missing and was taken prisoner of war. He was transferred to Holzminden.

 

card compiled by the Prisoners of War International Agency retrieved from http://grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/File/Details/3059076/3/2/

Prisoner of war record retrieved from http://grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/List/3059076/1872/20434/

Ernest had been captured at Jabbeke, about 17 kilometres west of Bruges in Belgium. Sergeant Leslie Bains was captured at the same time. They were probably in the same plane.

A family story has that Ernest tried to escape while a prisoner so the Germans took away his wooden leg.

The story of Ernest's life is continued at B is for Buick.

Additional Source

• British Royal Air Force, Officers' Service Records 1912-1920 retrieved from FindMyPast.com.au 

Related posts

• Hugh Vivian Champion de Crespigny (1897 - 1969)  
• My grandmother's cousins