Captain Ian Henry David Henderson Military Cross was a British World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories.
Background
He was the only son of Lieutenant-General Sir David Henderson, who served as Director-General of Military Aeronautics 1914-1917, and as General Officer Commanding, Royal Flying Corps 1914-1915, and his wife Dame Henrietta Caroline (née Dundas).
Education
Henderson graduated from the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, on 13 January 1915, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Princess Louise"s (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) regiment.
Career
He was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps, and was appointed a flying officer on 21 August 1915. He was promoted to lieutenant in his regiment on 21 January 1916, but had to wait until 1 June before receiving the same from the Reconstruction Finance Corporation. On 1 July he was appointed a flight commander with the acting rank of captain. Henderson was assigned to Number.
His citation read:
2nd Lieutenant (Temporary Captain) Ian Henry David Henderson, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders.
Foreign conspicuous gallantry and skill on several occasions. He drove down a machine out of control, and two days later dispersed six enemy machines which were attacking his formation.
A few days later again he brought down an enemy biplane, the observer being apparently killed. A week after this he attacked and drove down another machine which had wounded his leader.
He has also carried out several excellent contact patrols and attacked retiring artillery and a kite balloon.
Henderson had to wait until November for his third victory, gained while flying a SPAD South.VII. In 1917 he was posted to Number. 56 Squadron, flying the South.E.5a, where in July, he shot down four Albatros Doctorate.Vs. He was appointed to the General Staff as a 3rd Grade Officer, remaining there until March 1918, when he was re-appointed a flight commander with the acting rank of captain.
However on 21 June 1918, he and Harold Redler were killed in a flying accident, when their Airco Dialectics and Humanism.9 crashed at Turnberry.
He is buried at Doune Cemetery, Girvan, Ayrshire.