Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion 48th Highlanders of Canada

 16 January to 31 March 1942

William Brown (Bill) Hendrie was the son of Lieutenant Colonel William Hendrie and had served as an officer since the 1920s.  He and his brother George were both serving in September 1939 and volunteered to join the 1st Battalion on mobilization.  He served as Company Commander of D Coy in England and during the “Dover Dash” to France in June 1940, in which the 48th Highlanders were sent to France two weeks after the completion of the evacuation of British and Allied troops at Dunkirk.  He came to command in January 1942 when Lieutenant Colonel Southam left on promotion to take over a brigade in 2nd Canadian Division.  Bill Hendrie was a popular CO with the soldiers and was known for his sense of humour.  It was a surprise to the Battalion when it was announced that he was to leave  in March 1942 and be posted to British Columbia to coordinate air defence operations.  He remained in Pacific Command for the remainder of the War.