Veteran Roy Henderson CN + Bar , MMM
SAMVOE Zone Chairperson.
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Commander in the South African Navy from 1985 to 2006 and joined SAMVO in April, 2021. Located on the Isle of Man.
The Zone Chairperson is responsible to all his/her SAMVO Entity Veterans for the success of the organisation, which includes raising the SAMVO Entity’s national profile and for the good standing, smooth running and effectiveness of the organisation.
He/she will be the official SAMVO Entity’s representative at functions on the highest level.
He/she is accountable to the SAMVO Chairperson (ascending) and to the Regional Chairpersons within his/her Zone (descending).
Bio
The Navy Cross, post-nominal letters CN (Crux Navalis) is a military decoration which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa in 1987. It was awarded to members of the South African Navy for bravery. It was discontinued in 2003, but backdated awards can still be made for acts of bravery during this period.
The first award was made by the then Chief of the Navy Vice Admiral Robert Simpson-Anderson on 15 August 1994.
Commander Roy Walter Henderson, of the South African Navy was awarded the Navy Cross plus Bar on the 26th October, 2001.
The Navy Cross was instituted by the State President in 1987. The cross was initially awarded for exceptional ingenuity, resourcefulness and skill, and extraordinary leadership, dedication, sense of duty and personal example and courage in mortal danger in non-combatant situations. After 1993 it was awarded for exceptional courage, leadership, skill, ingenuity, or tenacity in dangerous or critical situations.
A Bar, instituted in 1993, was also awarded to Cdr Henderson in recognition of further similar displays of courage. It is thought that Cdr Henderson was the only person to have received two Crosses.
One was for a mission in Tanzania in 1996. where his diving team was called in to remove over 400 bodies for a ferry that overturned in Lake Voctoria, between the Tanzanian ports of Bukoba and Mwanza City. The death toll was over 1,000 people.
Another was for diving munitions out of human faecal matter ponds that had been stashed by breakaway rebels in a coup attempt in Lesotho – operation Maloti. This led to Cdr Henderson also being awarded the Maloti Clasp, which was issued after the operation, where Cdr Henderson and his team of divers were called in to check waterways for hidden arms caches, which was done under sniper fire.
Cdr Henderson wears four emblems of significance.
1. Sea Going Command Qualification.
2. Explosive Ordnance Disposal qualification for Underwater Sabotage Device Disposal.
3. Mine Warfare Clearance Diver qualification
4. Mine Counter Measure Qualification
Personal Message
Greetings to all military veterans from the vast Europe region, I am Roy Henderson; I enjoyed an exciting naval career from 1985 to 2006 where I commanded two ships and the naval Diving Centre. After early retirement I went into business for myself and now find myself in Isle of Man and the incumbent Zone
Chairman for the region.
As one gets older and reflects on one’s life it becomes more important to remember those that came before us, served with us and in some instances gave up their lives in the pursuit or defence of higher ideals.
People that have not served in a military unit never fully understand the level of relationship that is experienced at that time, it binds us together despite our differences and binds us forever.
It is why SAMVOE has started up as a fledgling organisation and with your support and suggestions we can make it into a meaningful outfit that holds value for each veteran.
This is not one sided, it will need you to be active and in finding the many veterans around you to form clubs and as such grow our family dynamic to benefit all.
It is with eager anticipation that I look forward to our path together.
Yours Aye,
Roy W. Henderson
