Q&A · 9:41-12:38

What is known about Reginald Henderson's death?

The precise illness is uncertain, but Henderson's relentless prewar Admiralty workload provides important context for his declining health.

Question

What killed Rear Admiral Reginald Henderson?

Short answer

The exact cause is uncertain, but his family and the surviving work record point to severe overwork during the Royal Navy's prewar preparations.

Notes

The exact medical cause of Rear Admiral Reginald Henderson's death is not established in the sources discussed here. Henderson and his wife had been working exceptionally long days as he pressed the Admiralty's rearmament and shipbuilding case before the Second World War. Even after becoming ill and entering hospital, he continued handling correspondence until he was ordered to stop. The uncertain diagnosis should be kept separate from the well-attested evidence of his exhausting official workload.