William Heneker

Infobox Military Person
name= William Charles Giffard Heneker


caption=
rank=Major-General Sir
branch=British Army
commands= 8th Infantry Division (United Kingdom), World War I
unit=Connaught Rangers
battles=World War I
*Western Front
awards= Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath 1919
Distinguished Service Order
Mentioned in Dispatches
Légion d'Honneur 1918 (France)
family=
nickname=
allegiance=United Kingdom
born= August 1867
died=
placeofbirth= Sherbrooke, Quebec
placeofdeath=
placeofburial=
serviceyears=
portrayedby=
laterwork= author of Bush War

Major-General William Charles Giffard Heneker (August, 1867 was a Canadian General who served on the Aro Expedition in Southern Nigeria, in Indian and on the western front during the First World War. He was a published author and military strategist. [Simon Robbins British Generalship on the Western Front 1914-18: Defeat Into Victory Routledge, 2005] .

Education

He was born in Sherbrooke, Quebec. He was the son of Richard William Heneker and of Elizabeth, daughter of Captain E Tuson RN. William Heneker studied at Bishop’s College in Lennoxville, Quebec. He graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario in 1900, student # 167. [http://www.rmcclub.ca/everitaswp/?p=2107#more-2107 General William Heneker] [G1397 Doctor Andrew B. Godefroy. "William Heneker: Bush War" (No.168), (October 2008, Army Publishing Office for the Directorate of Land Concepts and Designs)]

Military service

He accepted an Imperial commission in the Connaught Rangersas a Second Lieutenant on 5 September 1888. He was promoted to Lieutenant 12 February 1890. He served as an infantry captain in Western Africa. He was promoted to Captain on 10 March 1897. He saw action in a dozen separate small campaigns, ranging from peacetime military engagement to major combat operations between 1897 and 1906. He served in the Niger Coast Protectorate from 19 June 1897 to 31 December 1899. He served with the Royal West African Frontier Force 1 April 1900 to 31 July 1903. He served in the Benin Territories Expedition as Intelligence and Survey Officer, 1899 and was mentioned in (Despatches [London Gazette, 14 September 1900] ; Medal with clasp). He became Brevet Major 31 July 1901. He served as Second-in-Command of the Southern Nigeria Regiment, in Southern Nigeria, 1902 with the Royal West African Frontier Force. He was in command of the Ulia and Ishan Expeditions, and various Columns in the Aro Expedition.

He was invested by the King 18 December 1903. He commanded the operations in the Ibeku-Olokoro country, 1902 (clasp). He was mentioned in Despatches for the operations against the Chief Adukukaiku of Iggara (Despatches [London Gazette, 28 October 1904] . He was promoted to Brevet of Lieutenant Colonel 21 August 1903; clasp. He served in the operations in the Afikpo country (clasp). He became Major 16 February 1907. He given the Brevet of Colonel 24 October 1907. He published ‘Bush Warfare’ a book on small wars in 1907. His research interests included the relationships between conflict and diplomacy. [http://www.angloboerwar.com/DSO%20pre-BW/H/heneker_wcg.htm William Heneker ]

He was DAA and QMG, Orange River Colony District from 21 April 1906 to 20 April 1910. He served in India and the northwest frontier. As Lieutenant Colonel, he commanded the 2nd Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment at Peshawar, India 10 April 1912. He served as Temporary Brigade Commander, 1st Peshawar Infantry Brigade in 1912. He served as Temporary Brigade Commander, Rawalpindi Infantry Brigade from 1913 to 1914. He was Commander, 1st Infantry Brigade, Quetta, in October 1914. He served as one of the King's Aide-de-Camps from October 1907 to June 1917. [http://www.angloboerwar.com/DSO%20pre-BW/H/heneker_wcg.htm William Heneker ]

He served as Temporary Brigadier General during the European War. He commanded the 54th Infantry Brigade, British Expeditionary Force from 13 March to 14 December 1915. During this period, he was wounded severely. He was promoted Colonel on 10 April 1916. He was placed in command of the 190th Infantry Brigade, Royal Naval Division, France from 29 October to 8 December 1916. [http://www.angloboerwar.com/DSO%20pre-BW/H/heneker_wcg.htm William Heneker ]

He was promoted to Major General substantive, 3 June 1917. He commanded the 8th Infantry Division (United Kingdom), 9 December 1916 (CB, 1916). He formed and commanded the Southern Division of the Rhine.

Sir Thomas William Glasgow`s 13th Brigade (Australia), and Harold Elliott's 15th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), recaptured the town of Villers-Bretonneux on 25 April 1918 after the Germans had overrun the 8th Infantry Division (United Kingdom) under General William Heneker. This feat was described by Lieutenant-General Sir John Monash as the turning-point of the war. [ http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A090021b.htm ]

He held a portion of the Bridgehead east of Cologne, Germany March to October 1919. He commanded the Independent Division, Rhine Army, October 1919 to February 1920. He commanded and the Rhine Garrison, Cologne, Germany from March 1920. He was appointed the commander of the British Army on the Rhine in 1920. He served in Europe as a brigade commander on the western front during the First World War. He served as commander of the Inter-Allied Commission of Management in Upper Silesia, stabilizing the borders between Germany and Poland. He served as Commander-in-Chief of Southern Command, India. He retired in 1932 at the rank of full general. [http://www.angloboerwar.com/DSO%20pre-BW/H/heneker_wcg.htm William Heneker ]

Awards and recognition

He was made Commandeur of the Legion of Honour, 1918, and a KCB in 1919. He received the Medal with two clasps; was mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 18 April and 12 September 1902] . He was created a Companion of the DSO [London Gazette, 12 September 1902] : "William Charles Giffard Heneker, Captain and Brevet Major, Connaught Rangers. For services during the Aro Expedition in Southern Nigeria".

Family

He married Clara Marion, daughter of E Jones, of Velindre, Wales, in 1901. The couple had two sons: David William, born 31 March 1906, and Patrick Allason Holden, born 1 September 1908. David Heneker was a composer and lyricist of Charlie Girl. He was nominated for three Tony Awards: in 1961, as one of the authors of the English book and lyrics for Best Musical nominee "Irma la Douce," and in 1965, as Best Composer and Lyricist and for music and lyrics of Best Musical nominee "Half a Sixpence." [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/david-heneker-728908.html]

References

*4237 Dr. Adrian Preston & Peter Dennis (Edited) "Swords and Covenants" Rowman And Littlefield, London. Croom Helm. 1976.
*H16511 Dr. Richard Arthur Preston "To Serve Canada: A History of the Royal Military College of Canada" 1997 Toronto, University of Toronto Press, 1969.
*H16511 Dr. Richard Arthur Preston "Canada's RMC - A History of Royal Military College" Second Edition 1982
*H1877 R. Guy C. Smith (editor) "As You Were! Ex-Cadets Remember". In 2 Volumes. Volume I: 1876-1918. Volume II: 1919-1984. Royal Military College. [Kingston] . The R.M.C. Club of Canada. 1984