Nigel Henderson
Encyclopedia
Admiral Sir Nigel Stuart Henderson GBE
KCB
DL
(1 August 1909–1993) was a Royal Navy
officer who went on to be Chairman of the NATO Military Committee
.
in 1927. He served in World War II
as a gunnery officer. After the war he became Naval Attaché in Rome
and then, from 1951, commanded the patrol vessel HMS Protector
.
He was appointed Commanding Officer at the Royal Naval Air Station at Bramcote
in 1952 and was Captain of the cruiser
HMS Kenya from 1955. He became Vice Naval Deputy and then Naval Deputy to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe in 1957 and Director General of Training at the Admiralty
in 1960. In 1962 he was made Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
. He was made Head of the British Defence Staff in Washington D. C. and British Member of Standing Group and UK Representative on the NATO Military Committee in 1965 and then Chairman of the NATO Military Committee
in 1968. He retired in 1971.
Writing in 1974 he expressed concern over a general lack of awareness about "Western Europe and indeed of all NATO countries being dependent very largely on Middle East oil".
In retirement he spearheaded the effort to restore the Scottish birthplace
of John Paul Jones
at Arbigland
back to its original 1747 condition. He was also a Deputy Lieutenant
of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright
and a Patron of the Ten Tors
Challenge held each year on Dartmoor
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(1 August 1909–1993) was a Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
officer who went on to be Chairman of the NATO Military Committee
Chairman of the NATO Military Committee
The Chairman of the NATO Military Committee's authority stems from the NATO Military Committee, to which he is responsible in the performance of his duties. He chairs all meetings of the Military Committee and acts in an international capacity. In his absence, the Deputy Chairman of the Military...
.
Naval career
Henderson joined the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in 1927. He served in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a gunnery officer. After the war he became Naval Attaché in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and then, from 1951, commanded the patrol vessel HMS Protector
HMS Protector (A146)
HMS Protector was an Antarctic patrol vessel of the Royal Navy.She was laid down as a fast net layer by Yarrow Shipbuilders in Glasgow in August 1935, launched in August 1936 and commissioned on 30 December 1936. She served in the South Atlantic and in the Norwegian Campaign during World War II...
.
He was appointed Commanding Officer at the Royal Naval Air Station at Bramcote
RAF Bramcote
RAF Bramcote was a Royal Air Force station near Nuneaton in Warwickshire during World War II. It later became HMS Gamecock and then Gamecock Barracks.-RAF operations:The Station opened in 1939. The main user No...
in 1952 and was Captain of the cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
HMS Kenya from 1955. He became Vice Naval Deputy and then Naval Deputy to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe in 1957 and Director General of Training at the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
in 1960. In 1962 he was made Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Plymouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the admiral's command. In the nineteenth century the holder of the office was known as Commander-in-Chief,...
. He was made Head of the British Defence Staff in Washington D. C. and British Member of Standing Group and UK Representative on the NATO Military Committee in 1965 and then Chairman of the NATO Military Committee
Chairman of the NATO Military Committee
The Chairman of the NATO Military Committee's authority stems from the NATO Military Committee, to which he is responsible in the performance of his duties. He chairs all meetings of the Military Committee and acts in an international capacity. In his absence, the Deputy Chairman of the Military...
in 1968. He retired in 1971.
Writing in 1974 he expressed concern over a general lack of awareness about "Western Europe and indeed of all NATO countries being dependent very largely on Middle East oil".
In retirement he spearheaded the effort to restore the Scottish birthplace
John Paul Jones Cottage Museum
The John Paul Jones Cottage Museum is located on the Arbigland Estate near Kirkbean in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The cottage is where John Paul Jones, hero of the American Revolutionary War and founder of the United States Navy, was born in 1747...
of John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones was a Scottish sailor and the United States' first well-known naval fighter in the American Revolutionary War. Although he made enemies among America's political elites, his actions in British waters during the Revolution earned him an international reputation which persists to...
at Arbigland
Arbigland
Arbigland Estate is an estate in Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland. Arbigland lies on the Solway Firth coast to the south east of Kirkbean.The classically-styled Arbigland House was built in 1755 by improving laird and gentleman architect William Craik and a small dower house called The House on...
back to its original 1747 condition. He was also a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright
Kirkcudbrightshire
The Stewartry of Kirkcudbright or Kirkcudbrightshire was a county of south-western Scotland. It was also known as East Galloway, forming the larger Galloway region with Wigtownshire....
and a Patron of the Ten Tors
Ten Tors
Ten Tors is an annual weekend hike organised and run in early May for 2,400 young people by the British Army on Dartmoor. The majority of entrants are schools, colleges, Scout groups and Cadet squadrons from South West England, though groups from across the UK regularly take part, as do teams from...
Challenge held each year on Dartmoor
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
.