Orders, Decorations and Medals

Three: Admiral C. F. Henderson, Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (Lieut., R.N., HMS Monarch); British War Medal 1914-20 (R. Adml.); Coronation 1911, generally good very fine or better (3) £200-300

Admiral Charles Ferdinand Henderson was born in York on 7 March 1866, the son of the Reverend D. Henderson. In July 1878 at the age of 12 he entered the Royal Navy as a Cadet aboard the training ship Britannia. On passing out he obtained a 2nd Class Certificate and in October 1880 he was appointed to Northumberland, Channel Fleet. Whilst serving in this ship he was promoted to Midshipman on 22 June 1881. On paying off he next joined the Iron Steam Ship Amethyst, Flag Ship South East Coast of America Station, Rear Admiral Algernon Lyons. During the 3 year commission he spent in this ship he was promoted to Acting Sub Lieutenant on 22 June 1855. On returning to England he joined the Royal Naval College at Excellent in February 1886. On passing out in April 1887 he obtained a 2nd Class Certificate in Pilotage and 3rd Class Certificates in Seamanship, College, Torpedo and Gunnery, and was confirmed in the rank of Sub Lieutenant.

Between April and September 1887 he served aboard the Lion, Training Ship for boys and was then posted to the Steam Composite Sloop Turquoise serving on the East Indies Station. On promotion to Lieutenant on 1 October 1888 he was transferred to Mariner and soon afterwards to Osprey on 8 November 1888 by order of the Commander in Chief East Indies. On returning to England in June 1889 he joined the armour plated Steam Ship Shannon, a ship of the "First Reserve" attached to the Coastguard Service at Bantry, Ireland. In October 1889 he took passage to the Mediterranean aboard Hibernia where he joined the steam composite Sloop Melita under construction at Malta Dockyard. Following a three year commission in this ship he was paid off in June 1893. He was next appointed to Pembroke for Navigation Duties during the summer manoeuvres aboard the 3rd Class Cruiser Barracouta, and remained in this vessel when she was posted to the North America Station later in the year.

Following a four year commission in Barracouta he joined in June 1897 the 2nd Class Cruiser Doris, Flag Ship on the Cape of Good Hope and West Coast of Africa Station, Rear Admiral Sir Robert Harris, K.C.M.G. In December 1897 he was transferred to the 3rd Class Cruiser Monarch, Guardship, Cape of Good Hope for Specialist Navigation Duties. Service in this vessel during the period 1899-1901 earned him entitlement to the Queen’s South Africa Medal without Clasp. Whilst in Monarch he was promoted to Commander on 20 June 1901. On paying off from Monarch he was appointed in August 1901 for Navigational Duties to the 1st Class Battleship Benbow, Coastguard Ship at Greenock. In May 1903 he joined the Shore Base Vivid at Devonport and in July 1904 he was transferred for "tactical exercises" to the 1st Class Armoured Battleship Renown. In November 1904 he was posted to Firequeen, Special Service Vessel, Portsmouth Dockyard for Navigational Duties. Whilst in this posting he was promoted to Captain on 31 December 1906.

He was appointed in October 1907 to the Command of the 1st Class Cruiser Crescent serving with the Home Fleet and in January 1910 he was given the Command of 2nd Class Cruiser Melopomene attached to the 4th Cruiser Squadron. Whilst Commanding the latter ship he was awarded the 1911 Coronation Medal. In August 1912 he joined President for the Senior Officers War Course. In December 1912 he was appointed to Penguin, Depot Ship, for Charge of Naval Establishments, Sydney, Australia. On the outbreak of World War I he was lent to the Royal Australian Navy with the rank of Commodore 2nd Class and remained in this posting until December 1916. Although his service record carries the note that "he is to be considered for an award in recognition of his service with the Australian Navy" this appears to have been later overlooked, as the only medallic award he received in recognition of his war service was the British War Medal.

On his return to England in 1917 he was appointed to Crescent as Captain of Rosyth Dockyard and Kings Harbour Master. On the 25 August 1918 he was promoted to Rear Admiral and remained in this appointment until April 1919 when at his own request he was placed on the Retired List. In November 1923 he was promoted to Vice Admiral (Retired) and in August 1927 to Admiral (Retired). He died on 15 July 1935 aged 69 years. Sold with comprehensive copied research, including a copy of his service record, Times Obituary notice and a photocopy of a picture of him with the officers of HMS Benbow, taken in 1902.