29 Facts About William Heneker

William Heneker was born in Sherbrooke, Quebec on 22 August 1867, the son of Richard William Heneker and Elizabeth, daughter of Captain Edward Tuson of the Royal Navy.

William Heneker received his early education at Bishop's College School in Lennoxville, Quebec, and then later entered military life when he enrolled at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario on 1 September 1884.

At the time the unit was serving in India and William Heneker joined the regiment there.

William Heneker was promoted to lieutenant 12 February 1890, and later received his promotion to captain on 10 March 1897.

Between 1897 and 1906, William Heneker served in the West African theatre, and participated in a variety of campaigns ranging from peacetime military engagement, to counterinsurgency, to major combat operations.

William Heneker served in the 1899 Benin Territories Expedition as intelligence and survey officer, and was mentioned in dispatches for his services.

William Heneker commanded the Ulia and Ishan Expeditions, the Ibeku-Olokoro operations, Afikpo operations, and commanded No 4 Column in the Anglo-Aro War.

William Heneker became brevet major on 31 July 1901, for services during operations in Esan and Ulia country, and was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order for services during the Anglo-Aro war.

William Heneker waged a notable campaign against Chief Adukukaiku of Iggara, for which he again received a mention in dispatches.

William Heneker was promoted to brevet lieutenant colonel 21 August 1903, but received his substantive British Army rank of major on 16 February 1907.

William Heneker was eventually posted to Southern Africa where he was deputy assistant adjutant and quartermaster general, Orange River Colony District from 21 April 1906 to 20 April 1910.

William Heneker then served briefly in India and the North-West Frontier.

William Heneker served as temporary brigade commander, 1st Peshawar Infantry Brigade in 1912, and then later briefly as a temporary brigade commander, Rawalpindi Infantry Brigade from 1913 to 1914.

William Heneker was finally appointed commander, 1st Infantry Brigade, Quetta, in October 1914.

William Heneker was a resourceful and skilled soldier as well as an exceptional tactician.

In 1907 William Heneker published a book examining tactical innovation in small wars titled Bush Warfare.

Several months after the outbreak of war, William Heneker was finally assigned to active duty in Europe.

William Heneker received his substantive promotion to colonel on 10 April 1916, though he retained his temporary appointment as brigadier general.

William Heneker was promoted to substantive major general on 3 June 1917, commensurate with his new responsibilities.

William Heneker's division held a portion of the bridgehead east of Cologne, Germany from March to October 1919, after which he took command of a new formation, the Independent Division, Rhine Army, which he commanded from October 1919 to February 1920.

William Heneker commanded the Rhine Garrison at Cologne beginning in March 1920.

In 1921, William Heneker served as commander of the Inter-Allied Commission of Management in Upper Silesia, stabilizing the borders between Germany and Poland.

William Heneker was then, later that month, made GOC 3rd Division at Salisbury Plain, an appointment he held until 1926.

William Heneker was promoted to lieutenant general in April that year and in 1928 he returned to India, where he was appointed GOC-in-chief, Southern Command, India.

William Heneker was promoted to full general in March 1931.

William Heneker vacated his appointment as GOC-in-C on 22 March 1932, and was placed on half-pay from the following day before retiring from the army on 16 April 1932.

William Heneker married Clara Marion, daughter of E Jones, of Velindre, Wales, in 1901.

The couple had two sons: David William Heneker, born 31 March 1906, and Patrick Allason Holden, born 1 September 1908.

David William Heneker was a composer and lyricist of Charlie Girl.