Cause of Death: |
Died of wounds. While serving in S1 Patrol in the Western Desert, the patrol under Lt Lazurus, together with a detachment of Popski's Private Army, was reconnoitring behind enemy lines the layout and strength of the Mareth Line defensive position ahead of 8th Army's advance into Tunisia. While a small group went forward, the heavier vehicles and 25 personnel were leaguered in Wadi Zemzem. Unexpectedly, a German armoured car approached one of the trucks and was promptly destroyed by a burst of machine gun fire. The position was soon swarmed by German armoured vehicles. Confused fighting followed, their position rapidly grew worse, with the enemy all round them and invisible: they all got into one of the trucks which they drove up the hillside, thinking of hiding it in safety and then coming down for the others. The truck got jammed against a rock, the Germans had seen them, and they were under heavy fire. Carrying their small arms, they made their way to a cave under the hilltop, Henderson the navigator being hit in the stomach on the way. There they lay for several hours potting at the Germans who were trying to make their way uphill. When the Germans reached the truck Waterson decided with the Rhodesian Sergeant that the time had come to get away. They had to abandon Henderson, he was in great pain and couldn't move. Binney stayed with Henderson to become a prisoner-of-war. Henderson died on his way to hospital in Tripoli. |
