Harry Prendergast


Sir Harry North Dalrymple Prendergast, was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and, in imperial times, Commonwealth forces.

Early life

Prendergast was the son of Thomas and Caroline Lucy, He was educated at Cheam School and then Brighton College, and, in later years, he was President of their old boys' association. He was also educated at Addiscombe Military Seminary.

Details

Prendergast was 23 years old and a lieutenant in the Madras Sappers, Madras Army during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC:
He received his VC from Queen Victoria at the Quadrangle of Windsor Castle on 4 January 1860 along with twenty-four other recipients of the decoration.

Further information

Prendergast served in the Persian War, Central India Defence Force, in the Abyssinian War, in the Mediterranean, before going to Burma.
His last field command was to lead the Burma Field Force in 1885–86 at the start the Third Anglo-Burmese War. In 1908 he was appointed Colonel-Commandant of the Royal Engineers.
Prendergast was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in the 1902 Coronation Honours list published on 26 June 1902, and was invested by King Edward VII at Buckingham Palace on 8 August 1902.
His recreations were listed as "boxing, fencing, sword-play, running, cricket, football, hunting and polo".
He died at Heron Court, Richmond, Surrey, now in London, on 24 July 1913 and is buried in Richmond Cemetery.
There is a bronze memorial tablet to him in Brighton College Chapel, but his sword that used to hang above it was stolen.

The medal

A copy of his Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Engineers Museum in Chatham, England.