Wilfred Henderson (10 February, 1873 – 14 August, 1930). His first name was less commonly spelt "Wilfrid".
Born in Leghorn, Italy, Henderson could speak French, German and Italian and gained an extraordinary 12 months time on passing out of Britannia in July 1888.
He was promoted to Lieutenant on January 1893, and was awarded the Ryder Memorial Prize for 1893 for placing highest in the examination in French at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich.
He was promoted to Commander on 30 June 1903 and to Captain on 30 June 1909.
Henderson was appointed in command of the third class protected cruiser Blanche and of the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla on 1 May, 1912.
He was the Naval Attaché to Germany when war broke out.
He was appointed in command of the 1,500-strong First Royal Naval Brigade, tasked with trying to help defend Antwerp.
Things went poorly and the Brigade was cut off. Rather than surrender to the Germans and become prisoners of war, Henderson took his men over the border into Holland where they were interned for the duration in accordance with international law. Henderson was instructed not to attempt escape.
In January, 1920, he applied for reparation for the loss of career that resulted from his internment and an Admiralty order to him that he should not attempt escape from internment. He was informed that a statement in Parliament and his being placed on General Service Pension was all that the Admiralty could do to inoculate him from possible stigma.
Henderson was promoted to Rear-Admiral on 29 July 1920 and was placed on the Retired List the following day.
He became a Vice-Admiral on the retired list on 24 November 1925.