Lt Col George Lockhart Piercey Henderson by Roger Radnedge
G L P Henderson.
B
rooklands has many aviation heroes, but one who has been overlooked is George
Lockhart Piercey Henderson. He ran the Henderson Flying School and also built aeroplanes here. He was described as ‘one of the most prominent figures in civil aviation since the end of the war’ in his obituary in The Aeroplane in 1930. Born on 15th April 1888 in Simla, India, he was educated at Eton, then went to Trinity College Oxford to study law and rowed for the university. With war looming, his brother Charles urged him to join the Royal Flying Corps, but in August 1914 it had too many applicants, so he was rejected. Disappointed, he became a motorcycle dispatch rider and went to France with the British Expeditionary Force. After seven months he was made a Corporal, but his health suffered under the terrible conditions of that first winter and he was sent home to undergo a serious operation. After he recovered he reapplied for the Royal Flying Corps and was almost rejected again on account of his eyesight being below par, but somehow he 'wangled' his way in. He learned to fly with the London and Provincial School at Hendon and gained Royal Aero Club Aviator’s certificate 1143 on 31st March 1915. He then gained his wings in record time and by April he was a Lieutenant in France in A Flight with No 3 Squadron flying Moranes. He was promoted to temporary Captain in November. The RFC communiqués tell us that on 28th April, between La Bassée and Lille, he downed an Albatross, then
34 Sopwith Pup (Brooklands Museum).
he turned to attack two more hostile aeroplanes and in spite of being under heavy defensive fire he put them both to flight. Then on 2nd December he was escorting some BE2cs of No 2 Squadron on a bombing raid near the Don railway junction when he spotted an enemy aircraft approaching from Douai at 8,500 feet, just ahead of the BE2cs. As the German approached, Henderson turned on him, dived and opened fire at 150 yards. By now the enemy was attacking the BE2cs, but when the German realised he was under attack he dived away; Henderson followed, caught him up and fired a full drum of bullets at short range but to no effect. While Henderson was changing the drum, the German turned, attacked and hit him just above his right eye. His goggles broke and he was blinded by the flow of his blood. He broke off the engagement and made for home. Despite being partially stunned and half-blinded, he made it back to his aerodrome. For these actions he was awarded the Military Cross.
On 24th October 1916 he was made a temporary Major and on 26th January 1917 he took command of No 5 Squadron. They were flying BE2es, but this was a short stay, for on 14th February he was sent home and posted to Swingate Down to take over No 49 Squadron.
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