Andrew Henderson was part of a group of promising and committed Scottish Socialists who set themselves up as fervent opponents of war, militarism and conscription long before 1914. A member of the Independent Labour Party, a Trade Unionist and one of the founders of the Dundee branch of the Labour Representation Committee, Andrew shared the common socialist belief that the war was not only wrong, but was fought for the benefit of the landowning classes, banks and financiers of the combatant nations. He was well known in the town due to his commitment to spreading the message that the war, and conscription which loomed ever closer from 1914-1916, was both a moral and political crime.

Despite Andrew and the rest of the Dundee socialists' best efforts, conscription was passed into law with the Military Service Act 1916, and Andrew applied for exemption as a Conscientious Objector to Dundee Tribunal. His case was heard in June 1916, and was not successful. Andrew and five other Dundee socialists whose cases were heard at similar times refused to report to barracks as a group and were arrested and brought before a magistrates court as absentees at the same time. All were found guilty, fined 40 shillings and handed over to the military under armed guard.

Once at the barracks of the 3rd Scottish Non-Combatant Corps, Andrew’s struggle against militarism began in earnest. As an Absolutist CO he could not obey military orders and was swiftly court martialled, beginning a two year prison sentence that would be only briefly interrupted in May 1918 when he was allowed to return to his wife and two children for a short visit. His long prison sentence had taken its toll on his health and the privations and harsh punishment had exhausted him, leaving Andrew weak and ill.

By the beginning of June Andrew had been released onto the Exceptional Employment Scheme where COs judged to be non-distruptive could be released almost into the general population, provided they worked at an approved occupation and agreed certain rules of behaviour. Still reeling from the effects of prison on his constitution, Andrew fell ill during the influenza epidemic and died in November 1918, shortly after the signing of the Armistice that would end the war.

The No-Conscription Fellowship newspaper, The Tribunal, printed his obituary on the 28th of November 1918. It read:

“It is with greatest sorrow that he have to record the passing away of a Dundee comrade, Andrew Henderson, who so soon after his release under the new scheme has fallen a victim to the influenza epidemic. It was no longer ago than May 30th that he returned to his wife and two bairns for the first time after two years penalisation for conscience sake.

At his funeral a striking incident occurred. While the procession of about 200 comrades was en route to the cemetery, a military funeral was overtaken and salutes were exchanged between the two parties, the soldiers standing at attention, and the C.O’s raising their hats. By a curious coincidence the deceased soldier and Henderson had been personal acquaintances.

Our comrade's death at the early age of 36 means a great loss to the movement. “A quiet reticent man of the type that is “thirled” as we scots folks say, to his convictions resolute in the defence of his faith, a man difficult to move from a standpoint which he had reached with effort and caution; Henderson , without conscious effort, made for himself a place in the esteem and affection of his associates which cannot be refilled. In passing on he leaves behind remembrances which will always remain as an inspiration to whose who worked with him for Humanity”

Andrew was one of many COs to die during and immediately after the war. His name, along with 68 others, is inscribed on the CO Memorial Plaque, which stands as a commemoration not just of Andrew Henderson’s life and death, but as a testament to the ideals for which he resisted militarism.