Henderson, Lawrence S.: my Army recollections (January 14, 1982)

Rank: Lieutenant-Colonel. Medals and Honours: Distinguished Service Order (DSO)

Interviewer: Cross, James L.

An interview/narrative of Lawrence S. Henderson's experiences during World War II. Lieutenant-Colonel Henderson, D.S.O. served with the Canadian Scottish Regiment. Interview took place on January 14, 1982.

Interviewee: Henderson, Lawrence S., b. 1908

ABSTRACT: Lt.-Col. Lawrence S. Henderson, D.S.O. The Canadian Scottish Regiment Henderson_L_0064_01.mp3 Born on July 18, 1908 in Vernon, B.C., where his father was manager of the Bank of Montreal. Private school education in the Okanagan and Victoria. First joined the Canadian Scottish Regiment in 1927 as a private, having been recruited because of his skill at rugby! Commissioned in 1928 with several others. As usual all pay went to the regimental funds. Anecdote. Qualifying courses were required for a rank above that held. Attended courses offered at Work Point Barracks which ran for two or six weeks. Promoted to captain. Moved to Nanaimo with the Union Oil Company, thus becoming a member of the reserve of the 1st Battalion. In 1939 presented himself at the Bay St. Armouries in Victoria and received an unexpectedly cool reception; the officer establishment was full. His brother being commanding officer presented another problem, however, after bringing a little outside pressure to bear he was accepted as a lieutenant in A Company. Moved to Otter Point Camp. Made second-in-command of A Company, Macauley Point. Supplies and arms were in fairly short supply. Debert, N.S., tough conditions. There the Canadian Scottish formed part of the 7th Brigade of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division. (20:00) Was sent on a three-week ski instructors' course in Ottawa. Upon returning to the battalion they were issued enough skis to train one company at a time. Overseas in 1941 to England. During motorcycle training in England he broke a leg. Upon recovery he went to a holding unit where each infantry battalion had a staff to ensure, as far as possible, the return of members to their regiments. Posted to Divisional Headquarters as a staff learner (administration). In 1942 he was sent to the 8th Brigade for a short time as an acting staff captain. Comments on a new commanding officer (Lieut.-Col. J.D. Macbeth) who, it was rumoured, favoured the Macbeth tartan for the regiment. Trouble was averted and Lieut.-Col. Fred Cabeldu (of Victoria) assumed command. Heavy training on the Isle of Wight, sea assaults, etc. (35:00) By now Maj. Henderson was the support company commander. Describes composition and use of the five-platoon company. After D-Day he took over command of D Company. (45:00) Henderson_L_0064_02.mp3 Anecdote about Caen. After the capture of Calais he became second-in-command of the battalion. Some discussion on the fighting in Belgium. Became commanding officer in the spring of 1945. (15:00) Gives an account of the C.S.R. retaining their pipe band for the crossing of the Rhine, as the 16th Battalion, C.E.F. had done in the Great War. Tough fighting in the Reichswald. Attended the trial of the German General, Kurt Meyer. Did not entirely agree with it. Returns to the Reichswald fighting; heavy casualties, only six remaining of one company. Felt that young reinforcements were of reasonable quality. (35:00) Occupation duties initially guarding prisoners of war, then sending them home to the areas where they formerly lived. Gives an account of meeting and celebrating with Russian naval officers who were there to claim former German naval vessels. Comments on occupation force activities, riding, pipe band school, etc. No real animosity between Canadian troops and the German people. In Germany from June 1945 to Apr. 1946. Returned to Canada and was discharged. (51:00)

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Cross, James L.
• Henderson, Lawrence S., b. 1908

Subject

• Military history
• World War (1939-1945)
• Battle of Caen (Caen, France : 1944)
• Canada. Canadian Army

Language

• eng

Keyword

• World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Rhine River Valley
• Canada--Canadian Forces Base (Esquimalt, B.C.)
• World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, Canadian
• Canada--Canadian Forces Base (Debert, N.S.)
• Canada--Canadian Army--Military life
• Reichswald, Battle of the, Germany, 1945
• Canada--Canadian Army--Canadian Infantry Brigade, 8th
• Caen, Battle of, Caen, France, 1944
• Germany (Territory under Allied occupation, 1945-1955)
• Canada--Canadian Army--Canadian Scottish Regiment--Pipes & Drums
• Cabeldu, Fred N. (Frederick Norman), 1905-1976
• Canada--Royal Canadian Navy--H.M.C.S. Naden
• World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Belgium
• Henderson, Lawrence S., 1908-1997--Interviews
• Canada--Canadian Army--Canadian Infantry Division, 3rd
• Canada--Canadian Army--Canadian Infantry Brigade, 7th
• Canada--Canadian Army--Reserves
• Meyer, Kurt, 1910-1961
• Canada--Canadian Army--Guard duty
• Calais, Battle of, Calais, France, 1944
• Canada--Canadian Army--Canadian Scottish Regiment.
• World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--France--Normandy
• Canada--Canadian Army--Canadian Scottish Regiment--Battalion, 1st

Date created

• January 14, 1982

Relation

• Part of the Reginald H. Roy collection of interviews.
• In answer to a question by the interviewer Lt.-Col. Henderson explains the term A.A. & Q.M.G. (Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General), D.A.Q.M.G. (Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General), but some confusion apparent with the term A.D.M.S. (Assistant Director of Medical Services). Henderson means D.A.A.G. (Deputy Assistant Adjutant General). Source: telephone conversations on Oct. 25, 1988 between William S. Thackray, Henderson and Brig. John Adam, for whom Henderson worked at that time.

Resource type

• Sound

Rights statement

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Extent

• 2 sound recordings (MP3)

Geographic coverage

• Germany
• Canada

Coordinates

• 51.5, 10.5
• 60.10867, -113.64258

Additional physical characteristics

• One original sound tape reel (ca. 90 min.) : 1 7/8 ips, 2 track, mono. ; 1 sound cassette copy : standard, mono. in Special Collections.

Physical repository

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Collection

• Canadian Military Oral History Collection

Provider

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Genre

• sound recordings
• oral histories (literary genre)
• interviews
• reminiscences

Archival item identifier

• HLS_064

Fonds title

• Reginald Herbert Roy fonds

Fonds identifier

• SC104

Is referenced by

• Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/reginald-herbert-roy-fonds

Date digitized

• June 1, 2007

Technical note

• Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 22 kHz. In .mp3 format at 64 kbps and 22 kHz. Digitized by AN, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Transferred from audio reel to audio cassette between 1987-1997. Interview migrated to digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2007. Migration metadata by KD and MT.

Rights

• This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca

DOI

•  https://doi.org/10.58066/fdvh-7q51

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