1st Bn The Royal Rifles of Canada
General Information | ||
| Rank: | First Name: | Second Name: |
|---|---|---|
| Corporal | Stewart | Derrill |
| From: | Enlistment Region: | Date of Birth (y-m-d): |
| Richmond QC | Eastern Quebec | 1910-04-04 |
| Appointment: | Company: | Platoon: |
| HQ Coy | ||
Transportation - Home Base to Hong Kong
Members of 'C' Force from the East travelled across Canada by CNR troop train, picking up reinforcements enroute. Stops included Valcartier, Montreal, Ottawa, Armstrong ON, Capreol ON, Winnipeg, Melville SK, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Jasper, and Vancouver, arriving in Vancouver on Oct 27 at 0800 hrs.
The Winnipeg Grenadiers and the local soldiers that were with Brigade Headquarters from Winnipeg to BC travelled on a CPR train to Vancouver.
All members embarked from Vancouver on the ships AWATEA and PRINCE ROBERT. AWATEA was a New Zealand Liner and the PRINCE ROBERT was a converted cruiser. "C" Company of the Rifles was assigned to the PRINCE ROBERT, everyone else boarded the AWATEA. The ships sailed from Vancouver on Oct 27th and arrived in Hong Kong on November 16th, having made brief stops enroute at Honolulu and Manila.
Equipment earmarked for 'C' Force use was loaded on the ship DON JOSE, but would never reach Hong Kong as it was rerouted to Manila when hostilities commenced.
On arrival, all troops were quartered at Nanking Barracks, Sham Shui Po Camp, in Kowloon.
Battle Information
We do not have specific battle information for this soldier in our online database. For a detailed description of the battle from a Canadian perspective, visit Canadian Participation in the Defense of Hong Kong (published by the Historical Section, Canadian Military Headquarters).
Wounded Information
No wounds recorded.Hospital Information
No record of hospital visits found.POW Camps
| Camp ID | Camp Name | Location | Company | Type of Work | Arrival Date | Departure Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HK-SM-01 | Stanley | Fort Stanley, Hong Kong Island | Capture | 41 Dec 30 | ||
| HK-NP-01 | North Point | North Point, Hong Kong Island | 41 Dec 30 | 42 Sep 26 | ||
| HK-SA-02 | Shamshuipo | Kowloon, Hong Kong | 42 Sep 26 | 43 Jan 19 | ||
| JP-To-3D | Tsurumi | Yokohama-shi, Tsurumi-ku, Suyehiro-cho, 1-chome, Japan | Nippon Steel Tube - Tsurumi Shipyards | Variety of jobs related to ship building | 43 Jan 19 | 45 Apr 16 |
| JP-Se-4B | Ohashi | Iwate-ken, Kamihei-gun, Katsushi-mura, Ohashi, Japan | Nippon Steel Company | 45 Apr 16 | 45 Sep 15 |
Transport to Japan
| Draft Number | Name of Ship | Departure Date | Arrival Date | Arrival Port | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XD3A | Tatuta Maru | 43 Jan 19, left Shamsuipo Camp, 0500 hrs; left Hong Kong 1300hrs | 43 Jan 22, 0400 hrs | Nagasaki, Japan | Boarded train, arrived in Tokyo on 43 Jan 24 at 0700 hrs, boarded electric train for 10 mile ride to camp | Tony Banham |
Transportation SE Asia to Home
| Transport Mode | Arrival Destination | Arrival Date | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| USS Rixey | SF | 1945-10-11 |
2 FROM MONTREAL ARRIVE IN FRISCO
70 Repatriated Canadians Reach U.S. Aboard the U.S.S. Rixey
San Francisco, October 12. The following Canadians were among 70 repatriated Canadian prisoners of war who landed here yesterday aboard U.S.S. Rixey; Rfmn. D. M. Adams, Matapedia, Que.; Rfmn. A. Blanchard, Val d'Amour, N.B.; Rfmn. R. A. Boudreau, Glen Levit, N.B.; Rfmn. C. Cochrane, New Richmond, Que.; Rfmn. E. Daigle, West Bathurst, N.B.; Rfmn. J. A. Dempsey, Jacquet River, N.B.; Cpl. W. A. Dobb. Sherbrooke; Rfmn. A. Driscoll, Durkan Centre, N.B.; Rfmn. E. F. Francis, Dartmount, N.S.; Rfmn. G. Grimshaw, Montreal; Rfmn. J. H. Hand, Chapleau, Que.; Rfmn. S. D. Henderson, Richmond, Que.; Rfmn. J. I. Hotton, Gaspe, Que.; Rfmn. G. T. Hutchinson, Norton, N.B.; Rfmn. R. Keays, Broadlands, Que.; Ffmn. J. W. Killoran, Belledume River, N.B. Rfmn. A. D. Lapointe, Kirkland Lake, Ont.; L. Cpl. E. G. Ladds, Noranda, Que.; Rfmn. A. MacDonald, Wyers Brook, N.B.; Cpl. M. Moores, Matapedia, Que.; Rfmn. E. Olson, Bury, Que.; Rfmn. G. P. Pentland, Escuminac, Que.; Rfmn. D. B. Rees, St. John's, Nfld.; Rfmn. F. Robertson, Maria East, Que.; Cpl. A. T. Robson, Kenogami, Que.; Rfmn. R. Tremblay, Preval, Que.; Cpl. L. G. Wood, Lake Megantic, Que.; Sgt. J. C. MacMillan, Campbellton, N.B.; Cpl. Leo Ross, Cookshire, Que.; Rfmn. B. E. Boulanger, Perce, Que.; Rfmn. C. I. Meredith. New Richmond, Que.; Rfmn. H. E. Glendenning, South Bathurst, N.B., Rfmn. Gordon MacIver, Scotstown, Que.; Rfmn. R. A. McLaughlin, Campbellton, N.B.; L. Cpl. G. A. Lachance, Montreal; Sgt. C. H. Kerrigan, Aroostock, N.B.
Post-war Photo
Photo was taken on Oct 22, 1945, with his wife, Dulcie. The last time Stewart saw his family before leaving for Hong Kong was on Oct 22, 1941. He didn't see them again until exactly 4 years later, on Oct 22.
Decorations Received
| Image | Name of Award | Abbreviation | References | Precedence | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Mentioned-in-Despatches | MiD | 39, 40, 124 | 13 | |
| Citation | |||||
Other Military Service
No other or additional related information found. Please submit documents to us using the contact link at the top of this page.
Death and Cemetery Information
| Date of Death (y-m-d) | Cause of Death | Death Class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991-02-15 | Post War | ||
| Cemetery Location | Cemetery | Grave Number | Gravestone Marker |
| Upper Brompton Quebec Canada | Christ Church Cemetery | Yes | |
Gravestone Image
Obituary / Life Story
No other or additional related information found. Please submit documents to us using the contact link at the top of this page.
Links and Other Resources
There may be more information on this individual available elsewhere on our web sites - please use the search tool found in the upper right corner of this page to view sources.
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→ Related documentation for information published in this report, such as birth information, discharge papers, press clippings and census documents may be available via shared resources in our HKVCA Vault. It is organized with folders named using regimental numbers. Use the first letter of the individual's service number to choose the correct folder, then scroll to the specific sub-folder displaying the service number of your interest.
General Comments
Brother of E29960 Lawrence HENDERSON. 3 Brothers pictured Lawrence, Elwin, Stewart Henderson
1945 Next of Kin: Mrs. Dulcie Henderson (wife) (nee Mummery), Richmond Quebec. Married in 1935 in Richmond Quebec
Parents Fred and Adelaide (Addie) Henderson, nee Cusick. Both born in Quebec
Stewart was a Carpenter. Enlisted July 24, 1940
Flying on the face of Honour 41 to 45
Hamilton Spectator Letter to the editor 2005
RE: Quebec flag flap unfurls; Conservative Leader Stephen Harper said he would personally deliver 10 flags to the legion November 6
Upon reading that the Richmond-Arthabaska (Quebec) Bloc MP had refused to provide the Richmond Royal Canadian Legion with new Canadian flags for the Remembrance Day observances, was overcome by a profound sense of sadness.
How an elected member of our Canadian Parliament can demonstrate such a complete lack of respect for the men and women of Richmond and Melbourne who served Canada in wartime is beyond belief.
I was born in Richmond. Que and am well acquainted with three brothers from that community who answered their nation's call to voluntary service in the Second World War. Stewart and his youngest brother Lawrence enlisted with the Royal Rifles soon after the outbreak of the war In 1941, they headed to Hong Kong to help defend that British colony against Japanese aggression
That December, both brothers were taken prisoner of war when Hong Kong fell. During the next four years they suffered, along with hundreds of other Canadians, indescribable brutality while confined, first in Hong Kong and later in Japan.
The middle brother, Elwin, enlisted with the Sherbrooke Fusiliers and eventually was sent as a member of the Royal Canadian Engineers to Sicily and Italy where he saw action during 1943-1344. At the close of the Italian campaign, Elwin became a part of the Canadian army contingent that liberated Holland in 1945. After the surrender of Germany on May 8, 1945, Elwin and countless other Canadians returned to North America on the Queen Mary which had been specially outfitted for military transport.
Upon his return to Richmond. Elwin was informed that his two brothers were POWs in Japan. When he attempted to re-enlist, he was told that he had already served his country and would be mad to attempt to join in the Pacific conflict.
However, on hearing on the fate of Elwin's two brothers, the enlistment officer said, "Say no more!" and proceeded with the re-enlistment papers. Shortly thereafter Japan surrendered and eventually the brothers were reunited in Richmond.
Stewart and Lawrence spent the rest of their lives in Richmond and Melbourne, though the younger brother suffered interminably from his wartime captivity by waking nightly in anguish and terror Both men are buried near Richmond. Elwin and his young family moved away from Richmond in 1951, settling in Stoney Creek where he is now buried.
Thankfully, none of these three brave men from Richmond lived to see the disrespect that has been shown to their comrades-in-arms who saw their country's need and answered that call willingly and sacrificially. I know the events surrounding these three brothers from the Eastern Townships because Elwin was my father.
Rev. Milt Henderson, Stoney Creek, Ontario
End of Report.
Report generated: 21 Nov 2024.
Additional Notes
(These will not be visible on the printed copy)
- Service numbers for officers are locally generated for reporting only. During World War II officers were not allocated service numbers until 1945.
- 'C' Force soldiers who died overseas are memorialized in the Books of Remembrance and the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, both sponsored by Veterans Affairs Canada. Please use the search utility at VAC to assist you.
- Some birthdates and deathdates display as follows: 1918-00-00. In general, this indicates that we know the year but not the month or day.
- Our POW camp links along with our References link (near the bottom of the 'C' Force home page) are designed to give you a starting point for your research. There were many camps with many name changes. The best resource for all POW camps in Japan is the Roger Mansell Center for Research site.
- In most cases the rank displayed was the rank held before hostilities. Some veterans were promoted at some point prior to eventual post-war release from the army back in Canada. When notified of these changes we'll update the individual's record.
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