John Prendergast

Brigadier John Hume Prendergast DSO MC & Bar (15 November 1910 – 9 February 2008) was a British Indian Army, and later British Army, officer and travel writer.

Early life John Hume Prendergast was born in Lahore in 1910, the son of Brigadier General Charles Gordon Prendergast, a British Indian Army officer.

He was educated at Victoria College, Jersey and was commissioned into the Royal Sussex Regiment as a supplementary reserve officer with the rank of second lieutenant with effect from 25 December 1929, when he was described in the London Gazette as "John Hume Prendergast; (late Cadet Corpl., Victoria Coll. Contgt., Jun. Div., O. T. C.)" In 1931, he returned to India and in November 1931 was transferred as a second lieutenant to the Unattached List for the Indian Army. He joined the 4th battalion 15th Punjab Regiment on 22 January 1933, serving with them on the North West Frontier, and was also seconded to the Frontier Corps unit the Tochi Scouts as of 4 August 1936. It was while he was a Lieutenant of the 15th Punjab Regiment attached to the Tochi Scouts that he was awarded his first Military Cross, in 1937. The citation read; "while commanding the advance guard of a regular force column on the frontier. When Pathans attacked from a flanking hillside, he was ordered to clear the way. With sound use of fire and movement, skills in which the Pathan were also adept, he dislodged the enemy."

World War II Norwegian Campaign During World War II Prendergast was flown home in the spring of 1940 to join the Anglo-French landings in Norway as he was an expert in mountain warfare after his time of the North West Frontier. The German Army was already deployed when he arrived and within hours of arrival, he was awarded a Bar to his Military Cross.

Awards

90px MC - London Gazette 13 August 1937. NW Frontier of India

MID - London Gazette 9 May 1946