A First War Group to Captain Lyman Abraham Henderson; 3rd Infantry Battalion
Item #C4608
$250
British War Medal (CAPT. L.A. HENDERSON.); Victory Medal (CAPT. L.A. HENDERSON.); and George V and Queen Mary Jubilee Medal 1935. Naming is officially impressed on the BWM and VM, the JM is un-named as issued. Un-mounted, the First War medals with replacement ribbons, the JM on its original ribbon with pinback, bruising on the BWM, gilt wear on the VM, contact marks, very fine. Accompanied by a Miniature Group of Same (BWM: silver, 17.8 mm; VM: bronze, 18.5 mm; JM: silver, 18 mm; the First War medals with a conjoined pinback, the JM with its own pinback, the three medals linked via an orange piece of felt), a CEF Particulars of Service from the Public Archives of Canada Document, two reproduction photographs, along with assorted research papers.
Footnote: Lyman Abraham Henderson was born on October 7, 1889 in Toronto, Ontario, the son of William Richard Henderson and Olive Louise Henderson and attended public and high schools in Toronto. He began working at Davis and Henderson Limited in 1909, at the age of 20, a printing firm in Toronto, specializing in stationery printing, becoming its Secretary in 1912. He was a resident of Toronto when he enlisted as a Lieutenant with the 198th Infantry Battalion "Canadian Buffs", on May 25, 1916, signing his Officers' Declaration Paper, on June 29, 1916 at Exhibition Camp in Toronto, at the age of 26, naming his next-of-kin as his mother, Olive Louise Henderson (which was later changed to his brother, Quantus Bliss Henderson), stating that he was with an active militia, the 10th Royal Grenadiers, that he had three years' previous service as a Private with the Queen's Own Rifles, that his religion was Baptist and that his occupation was that of Secretary with the printing firm of Davis and Henderson. He was treated at the Base Hospital in Toronto on October 25, 1916, as he "misplaced cartilage in (his) knee", subsequently returning to the lines and was promoted to Captain in November 1916. The 198th Infantry Battalion was raised and mobilized in Toronto, Ontario under the authority of G.O. 69, July 15, 1916. The Battalion sailed March 25, 1917 from Halifax, Nova Scotia, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel J.A. Cooper with a strength of 31 officers and 841 other ranks, arriving in Liverpool, England on April 7th. In England, the Battalion was absorbed into the 3rd Reserve Battalion. He was placed on command for seven weeks at No. 1 Office Course at Brocton, Staffordshire from October 20 to December 14, 1917. Two months after returning from his course, Henderson was transferred to the 3rd Infantry Battalion "Toronto Regiment" for overseas service in the French theatre, on February 24, 1918, reverting to the rank of Lieutenant. He was struck off strength on the 26th and left for the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp on February 28th, arriving the same day. One week later, he left for the 3rd Infantry Battalion on March 6th, joining them the same day. Six months after arriving in France, on August 30, 1918, the 3rd Infantry Battalion Toronto Regiment was tasked with breaking through the Vis-en-Artois Switch and to establish a jumping-off line east of Upton Wood, as close as possible to the main defences of the Drocourt-Queant Line. They were to put in a frontal attack to the south-east a mile south of Vis-en-Artois. The 3rd Infantry Battalion suffered heavily during the encounter, with 61 of all ranks being killed, 8 officers wounded, 162 other ranks wounded, with 7 others declared missing. Lyman Abraham Henderson was one of the eight wounded officers, suffering a gun shot wound (shrapnel), incurring a three inch long "flesh wound" on the back of his left shoulder. He was evacuated to No. 20 General Hospital at Camiers on September 1st, then invalided to England aboard the Hospital Ship Princess Elizabeth. He was taken on strength at the 1st Central Ontario Regimental Depot and admitted to the Prince of Wales Hospital in London on September 1st, before being transferred and admitted to 2nd Western General Hospital at Manchester on September 4th. After sixteen days treatment at Manchester, he was transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital for Officers, Matlock, Bath on September 20th, where he would remain for the next twelve days, before being discharged on October 2nd, declared "Fit for General Service" and struck off strength to the 12th Reserve Battalion. He was posted to the 1st Central Ontario Regimental Depot on December 3rd, detached to Headquarters of the Overseas Military Forces of Canada, pending his return to Canada. Lyman Abraham Henderson returned to Canada on December 14, 1918 and was discharged upon demobilization at Military District No. 2 in Toronto, on January 3, 1919, credited with having served in Canada, England and France. For his First World War service, he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. Seven weeks after being discharged, he married Marion Joy Ryan (1892-1973) on February 19, 1919 in Guelph, Wellington County, Ontario. The couple later had two children: a son, Lyman George Henderson (1920-2012, who would later become President of Davis & Henderson, AKA D&H) and a daughter, Cynthia Joy Henderson. Lyman Abraham Henderson returned to his job as Secretary of Davis and Henderson Limited of Toronto, later becoming Vice-President and General Manager of the printing firm after 1929. He was awarded the George V and Queen Mary Jubilee Medal 1935, the announcement appearing in the Supplement to the Canada Gazette of May 4, 1935, page 26. He was a Conservative and Freemason, who enjoyed golf and badminton and was a member of the Lambton Golf Club. He died on April 19, 1959, at the age of 69 and was buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto.