PROVENANCE Collection of the Commerce Club, Auckland

Stretcher Bearer Dick Henderson with his donkey on Gallipoli

This is the original photograph of Dick Henderson, a member of the New Zealand Medical Corps, and his donkey. Until he was recognised as the man with the donkey in the Simpson painting, he was almost forgotten by New Zealanders. Yet he had a distinguished military career. He survived Gallipoli and went on to serve in France. He was decorated for gallantry when, at the Somme, he repeatedly rescued wounded soldiers under heavy gun fire. He was finally gassed at Passchendaele in October 1917 and was invalided home. This gassing was to affect his eyesight and he retired from teaching in the early 1930s when he was going blind. He was regarded as a quiet achiever who never made a fuss.

This photograph which also belonged to the Commercial Travellers Association is inscribed as follows: This is the original photo from which the painting 'Murphy and the Donk' or Simpson and Murphy the Donk' was painted by Sapper Moore-Jones. Original painting held by Commercial Travellers Association Auck. The photo was given to the Auckland Commercial Travellers Association by James Jackson of Dunedin who took the original photo.