Joan Henderson: Difference between revisions

[[Brigadier Dame(United Kingdom)|Brigadier]] '''Dame Joan Evelyn Clara Henderson, Mrs Kelleher''' [[Order of the British Empire|DBE]] (24 December 1915 – 23 September 2018), also known as '''Joanna Henderson''' and '''Joanna Kelleher''', was the highest-ranking officer in the Women's Royal Army Corps ([[Women's Royal Army Corps|WRAC]]) from 1964 to 1967. She was preceded by Brigadier Dame Jean Rivett-Drake (1961–1964) and succeeded by Brigadier- Dame [[Mary Anderson (British Army officer)|Mary Anderson]] (1967–1970).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/brigadier-dame-joanna-henderson-obituary-hhdlpwdrq|title=Brigadier Dame Joanna Kelleher obituary|date=October 18, 2018|viawebsite=www.thetimes.co.uk|accessdate=2 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/daily-express/20181027/282162177206363|title=Obituary - Joanna Kelleher, director of the Women’sWomen's Royal Army Corps|websitevia=www.pressreader.comPressReader|date=October 27, 2018|publisher=Daily Express}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/17068669.obituary-joanna-kelleher-director-of-the-womens-royal-army-corps-who-expanded-the-roles-for-women-in-the-armed-forces/|title=Obituary - Joanna Kelleher, director of the Women's Royal Army Corps who expanded the roles for women in the armed forces|website=HeraldScotland|date=27 October 2018 |accessdate=2 December 2022}}</ref> She retired from the Women's Royal Army CorpsWRAC on 22 September 1967.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=3 October 1967 |supp=y |issue=44420 |pages=10673}}</ref>

Henderson, always known as "Joanna", was born in London to Scottish parents:. Her father,
Kenneth Henderson, was a distinguished barrister (originally from Stonehaven) and his wife, Evelyn. She was educated privately in [[Surrey]] and [[Switzerland]]. Upon the outbreak of WWII, she began voluntary hospital work. Two years later, in 1941, she did her training with the WRAC in [[Inverness]] and was commissioned into the ATS as a lance corporal four months later.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/17068669.obituary-joanna-kelleher-director-of-the-womens-royal-army-corps-who-expanded-the-roles-for-women-in-the-armed-forces/|title=Obituary - Joanna Kelleher, director of the Women's Royal Army Corps who expanded the roles for women in the armed forces|website=HeraldScotland|date=27 October 2018 |accessdate=2 December 2022}}</ref>

She was appointed an [[Aide-de-camp#United Kingdom|Honorary Aide de Camp]] to [[Queen Elizabeth II]] om 15 September 1964 and became a Dame Commander of the [[Order of the British Empire]] in the [[1965 Birthday Honours|Queen's birthday honours of 1965]].<ref>{{London Gazette |date=11 September 1964 |supp=y |issue=43433 |pages=7761}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette |date=4 June 1965 |supp=y |issue=43667 |pagespage=5476}}</ref>