Corporal James Hendry
Encyclopedia
Corporal James Hendry, GC
(1911–1941) was posthumously awarded the George Cross
for the gallantry and self sacrifice he displayed on June 13, 1941. He was serving with No.1 Tunnelling Company of the Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers, who had been given the task of digging the tunnel between Loch Spey
and Loch Laggan
to supply water to the British Aluminium
works at Fort William
, when a fire broke out in a explosive store near Loch Laggan. The twenty-nine year old ordered his colleagues to run to safety and attempted to extinguish the blaze, rather than attempt to escape the inevitable explosion. The huge blast also killed his colleague Sapper John MacDougall Stewart, and seven more were injured.
He was buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey
. The Royal Canadian Engineers dedicated their range control building to the corporal in recognition of his bravery in 1994. In August, 2008, a memorial cairn honouring Cpl. Hendry was unveiled at Loch Laggan near where he was killed. The ceremony was attended by his last surviving brother, William Hendry, of Thunder Bay
, Ontario
.
Corporal Hendry was born in Falkirk
, Scotland on 20th December 1911 to parents John and Janet Hendry. The family lived in Geraldton
, Ontario before the war with several working in the local gold mines.
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
(1911–1941) was posthumously awarded the George Cross
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
for the gallantry and self sacrifice he displayed on June 13, 1941. He was serving with No.1 Tunnelling Company of the Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers, who had been given the task of digging the tunnel between Loch Spey
River Spey
The River Spey is a river in the northeast of Scotland, the second longest and the fastest-flowing river in Scotland...
and Loch Laggan
Loch Laggan
Loch Laggan is a freshwater loch situated east of Fort William, in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland. The A86 road from Spean Bridge to Kingussie follows along its north bank...
to supply water to the British Aluminium
Lochaber hydroelectric scheme
The Lochaber hydroelectric scheme was a hydroelectric power generation project constructed in the Lochaber area of the western Scottish Highlands after the First World War. Like its predecessor at Kinlochleven, it was intended to provide electricity for aluminium production, this time at Fort...
works at Fort William
Fort William, Scotland
Fort William is the second largest settlement in the highlands of Scotland and the largest town: only the city of Inverness is larger.Fort William is a major tourist centre with Glen Coe just to the south, Aonach Mòr to the north and Glenfinnan to the west, on the Road to the Isles...
, when a fire broke out in a explosive store near Loch Laggan. The twenty-nine year old ordered his colleagues to run to safety and attempted to extinguish the blaze, rather than attempt to escape the inevitable explosion. The huge blast also killed his colleague Sapper John MacDougall Stewart, and seven more were injured.
He was buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. The Royal Canadian Engineers dedicated their range control building to the corporal in recognition of his bravery in 1994. In August, 2008, a memorial cairn honouring Cpl. Hendry was unveiled at Loch Laggan near where he was killed. The ceremony was attended by his last surviving brother, William Hendry, of Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay
-In Canada:Thunder Bay is the name of three places in the province of Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior:*Thunder Bay District, Ontario, a district in Northwestern Ontario*Thunder Bay, a city in Thunder Bay District*Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
Corporal Hendry was born in Falkirk
Falkirk
Falkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; north-west of Edinburgh and north-east of Glasgow....
, Scotland on 20th December 1911 to parents John and Janet Hendry. The family lived in Geraldton
Greenstone, Ontario
Greenstone is an amalgamated town in the Canadian province of Ontario. The area of the town is , stretching along Highway 11 from Lake Nipigon to Longlac; it is one of the largest incorporated towns in Canada....
, Ontario before the war with several working in the local gold mines.