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Auction: 11010 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 2

The Outstanding K.B.E., C.M.G., ´Operation Chui´, Mau Mau G.M., Q.P.M. Group of Twelve to Sir John Prendergast, ´The Real Life James Bond´, Who´s Special Branch Career ´Moved Hand-in-Hand With History, As One After Another of Britain´s Colonies, Strove - Often Violently - For Independence, Taking Him to Palestine, Kenya, Cyprus, Aden and Hong Kong. He Spent Much of His Time Undercover in a Succession of Hot-Spots´ a) The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 2nd type, Civil Division, Knight Commander´s (K.B.E.) set of Insignia, neck Badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with neck riband; Star, silver and enamel, in Garrard, London case of issue b) The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, Companion´s (C.M.G.) neck Badge, silver-gilt and enamel, in Spink & Son, London case of issue c) George Medal, E.II.R. (John V. Prendergast) d) Queen´s Police Medal, For Distinguished Service (John V. Prendergast, C.B.E., G.M. Asst. Commsr. Hong Kong Police.), officially re-impressed e) 1939-1945 Star f) Africa Star g) Defence and War Medals h) General Service 1918-62, E.II.R., one clasp, Cyprus (Head of S.B. J.V. Prendergast.) i) Africa General Service 1902-56, E.II.R., one clasp, Kenya, M.I.D. Oakleaf (S.A.C.P. J,V. Prendergast (G.M.)) J) General Service 1962-2007, one clasp, South Arabia (D Of Int. J.V. Prendergast. C.M.G. C.B.E. Aden Police Force.), this not mounted with group k) Colonial Police Medal, For Meritorious Service, E.II.R. (Sen. Supt. John V. Prendergast Kenya Police), mounted breast awards plated, generally very fine, with the following mounted group of three: Defence and War Medals; General Service 1918-62, E.II.R., one clasp, Palestine 1945-48 (Major J.V. Prendergast. Sussex.), good very fine, with the following related items and documents: - The recipient´s miniature awards, mounted as originally worn - Riband bars, with M.I.D. Oakleaf on G.S.M. riband as well as A.G.S. - Bestowal Document for K.B.E., named to John Vincent Prendergast, Esq., C.M.G., C.B.E., G.M.,Q.P.M., C.P.M., dated 11.6.1977 - Bestowal Document for C.M.G., named to John Vincent Prendergast, Esq., C.B.E., G.M., dated 1.1.1968 - Bestowal Document for C.B.E., named to John Vincent Prendergast, Esq., G.M., dated 1.1.1960, all three documents glazed and framed - M.I.D. Certificate, named to J.V. Prendergast, G.M., Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police, dated 29.3.1957 - a superb and probably uniquely detailed photograph album chronicling Operation Chui, 1.3.1955-20.5.1955 - a detailed scrap book compiled by the recipient, replete with letters of congratulation on his various awards, photographs and contemporary newspaper cuttings (lot) Estimate £ 8,000-12,000 K.B.E. London Gazette 11.6.1977 John Vincent Prendergast, C.M.G., O.B.E. [sic], G.M., C.P.M., lately Deputy Commissioner of Police, Hong Kong C.M.G. London Gazette 1.1.1968 John Vincent Prendergast, Esq., C.B.E., G.M., lately Director of Intelligence, British High Commission, Aden. C.B.E. London Gazette 1.1.1960 John Vincent Prendergast, Esq., G.M., Chief of Intelligence and Head of Special Branch, Cyprus Police Force. G.M. London Gazette 27.9.1955 John Vincent Prendergast, Acting Assistant Commissioner, Kenya Police Force (in joint citation with Ian Stewart McWalter Henderson and Bernard Edward Ruck both of whom were Superintendents, Kenya Police Force, and both of whom were awarded Bars to their George Medals for this operation) ´Over a period of three months, conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty were displayed by the members of the Kenya Police Force who made and maintained contact with Mau Mau leaders. Acting Assistant Commissioner Prendergast was in command of a Special Branch Team which made contact with Mau Mau terrorists in the Aberdare Forest to arrange for a mass surrender of terrorists. Prendergast directed and controlled the activities of the Team and in the course of his duties he entered the Aberdare Forest on more than thirty occasions. By his power of leadership, calmness and personal bravery, Prendergast proved himself to be a source of inspiration to the men under his command and the work achieved by his Team in the most difficult and dangerous circumstances was outstanding. The ability and courage displayed by him were of a very high order. Superintendent Henderson was the second-in-command of the Special Branch Team and in the course of his duty he made some thirty-four visits to the forest. At the outset it was essential to establish confidence in the minds of the terrorists and seven preliminary visits were made to the forest. The rendezvous was some two miles in from the forest edge and was approached by a route which left all initiative of attack with the terrorists. On each occasions Henderson drove the leading vehicle of the small convoy, thereby placing himself in a most vulnerable position. On arrival at the small forest clearing where talks were to take place Superintendent Henderson alone dismounted from his vehicle and walked forward unarmed to a bamboo post placed on the track where a message was usually left by the terrorists. Henderson fully realised that he was an easy target and that he was watched and covered by armed Mau Mau sentries in the vicinity. It was necessary for the Team to make some twenty-seven further visits to the forest and despite the fact that it became known that certain Mau Mau leaders were actively against the surrender talks, and that they had threatened to ambush the party, Henderson persisted on every occasion in driving the leading vehicle. His sustained courage and example were an inspiration to all who worked with him. Superintendent Ruck accompanied the convoy on all thirty-four visits to the forest and was always a member of the team, usually only three strong, which had to enter a clearing unarmed for the actual talks with terrorists. He knew that while in the clearing there were a number of armed Mau Mau guards in the vicinity who were watching him. On certain occasions these armed guards showed themselves and more than once adopted an aggressive and provocative attitude. Despite this Ruck calmly continued to do his duty. A stage was reached in the talks when it was necessary that every effort should be made to contact Mau Mau leaders on Mount Kenya and to this end Superintendent Ruck led a team of terrorists on numerous operations in circumstances of extreme danger. During these operations he showed a complete disregard of his own safety and in his efforts to make the correct contact exposed himself to grave danger.´ Q.P.M. London Gazette 1.1.1964 John Vincent Prendergast, C.B.E., G.M., Assistant Commissioner of Police, Hong Kong. C.P.M. London Gazette 9.6.1955 John Vincent Prendergast, Senior Superintendent, Kenya Police Force ´While in charge of the African Affairs section of Special Branch Headquarters and later as second-in-command of Special Branch and Deputy Director of Intelligence and Security, Senior Superintendent Prendergast has shown exceptional energy and ability.´ M.I.D. London Gazette 29.3.1957 J.V. Prendergast, G.M., Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police ´In recognition of distinguished services in Kenya during the period from 22nd April, 1954 to 21st October, 1955.´ Sir John Vincent Prendergast, K.B.E., C.M.G., G.M., Q.P.M., C.P.M. (1902-1993); born Gorey, County Wexford, Ireland. Prendergast moved to London at an early age with his family. He was educated at London University before joining the Civil Service with Middlesex County Council in 1930. With the outbreak of the Second World War he was commissioned in to the Royal Sussex Regiment in August 1940. Advancing to the rank of Major, 3.5.1943, his potential for a more subtle form of service was recognised whilst serving with the Regiment in mandated Palestine, 1945-48. Palestine and MI5 Prendergast was attached to MI5 for Special Duties and went straight into anti-terrorist operations. His work was to counter the Irgun and the Stern Gang, the extremist Zionist factions campaigning to turn Palestine into an independent Jewish state. After the Second War, ´he stayed on in Palestine as Assistant District Commissioner and had the first of many narrow escapes when he was in the King David Hotel, which was then being used as the British Army´s Headquarters, when it was blown up by the Irgun in July 1946. The following year he joined the Colonial Police, serving first in Palestine then moving on to the Gold Coast where he became a District Head of Special Branch in the run-up to the Colony´s independence as Ghana. In 1952 he was seconded to the Army in the Canal Zone on Special Duties.´ (The Times, Lives Remembered, refers). ´Mau Mau Hunter´ The following year Prendergast was posted to Kenya as Director of Intelligence and Security. By January 1955 he advanced to the rank of Acting Assistant Commissioner. On the 18th January, controversially for the time, the Government offered special surrender terms to the Mau Mau leadership in the Aberdares. This was a bold effort to bring the forest fighting to an end. In an attempt to achieve this goal Prendergast was appointed to the command of a Special Branch Team of seven, including Superintendents Ian Henderson, G.M. (his second-in-command) and Bernard Ruck, G.M. The team´s role was to go deep into Mau Mau territory, and initiate and conduct negotiations with the leadership based there. Operation Chui The operation conducted by Prendergast was called Chui, as the first contact with the Mau Mau leaders was brought about through a "Major" of that name. The latter had come out of the Chinga area of Nyeri and surrendered himself to the authorities. Whilst he had operated with the Mau Mau he had been given the forest name of Chui, and so this codename was adopted by Prendergast. Chui himself was present during the operation trying to continue to establish a link between the two sides. The operation, which ran from 1st March-20th May, began when Special Branch were informed of a message that had been left for them by the Mau Mau at a bamboo post in the forest. The letter was from Kahinga, a gang leader of the Stanley Mathenga group. In it he enquired if the authorities would be interested in discussing the possibilty of peace. Kahinga´s letter was the catalyst that started a series of 34 secret meetings between Prendergast´s team and the Mau Mau in the Chinga Forest. The aim was now to bring about the mass surrender of the Mau Mau, ´the journeys to the rendezvous involved arduous travel under dangerous circumstances. The meeting place was about two and a half miles in the forest, approached along a track which was badly broken up by the rains of past years and parts of which were likely to break away. The track rang along the side of a very steep cliff and was overgrown by thick bush in many places and littered with fallen trees and bamboos. The going was tough even for a Land Rover, and on one occasion on the way out a vehicle slipped off the track and plunged 120 feet down the cliff face into a river.´ (Kenya Police Review - The Story of Operation Chui, refers). Prendergast lead from the front having to painstakingly win the confidence of the junior Mau Mau in order to be given an audience with the more senior members. The team covered 5,000 miles during their trips into Mau Mau territory, ´when contact was made Prendergast, Henderson and Ruck would walk away unarmed from their escort and squat down in the forest with the Mau Mau leaders. As they talked the terrorists nervously fingered cocked Sten guns. Henderson, usually dressed in flannels and a Kenya Police blazer, spoke in Kikuyu, Prendergast in Swahili.´ (The Daily Mail, 28.9.1955, refers) Twelve months earlier both Henderson and Ruck had been involved in similar negotiations with "General China" (when both had been awarded the George Medal) and as such were fully aware of the delicate nature of such processes. It became quickly apparent that some of the Mau Mau leadership were completely against the negotiations and as a consequence Prendergast made sure that his travel routes to the rendezvous were constantly changed to avoid ambush. It was believed that Dedan Kimathi was one of those keen to scupper the talks and this would have only added to the inner turmoil being experienced by Mau Mau hierachy at the time, not making Prendergast´s job any easier, ´in view of the state of mind of the forest gangsters at that time, these discussions, crudely carried out in bamboo hideouts, were complex and delicate in the extreme. The method of communication used by members of Special Branch was that of the Mau Mau patois. Throughout the talks they were up against primitive superstition and the difficulty of reasoning with men who could not reason but who sought to find bad omens in everything that happened during the discussions.´ (Kenya Weekly News, refers) Against the odds several leaders from the Aberdares agreed to meet with Government representatives in Nairobi. After the second such meeting the Mau Mau agreed to a "token surrender" of 50 as evidence of their good faith. Talks ´broke down, however, on the 20th May when the decision was reversed in the forest through the opposition of the "diehard leaders". This was the end of Operation Chui, and on the 18th July, after a warning, the special surrender terms were withdrawn. Between the breakdown of the talks and the withdrawl of the surrender terms, however, 439 terrorists gave themselves up, including some of those who had taken part in the talks or had been present at some of the meetings. Over the same period, 433 terrorists were killed and 253 captured. All these successes may be placed to the credit side of the account in regard to Operation Chui´ (Kenya Police Review - The Sotry of Operation Chui, refers). Prendergast was awarded the George Medal for his tireless efforts in trying to bring about the mass surrender of the Mau Mau, despite it being an almost impossible task. Both Henderson and Ruck were awarded a Bar to their George Medals for their part in the operation, and the former who went on the hunt and capture Dedan Kimathi, wrote the following to Prendergast: ´As the senior member of the Special Branch personnel who served under you during the trying weeks of Operation "Chui", it is my honour to write these few words to you on behalf of "Chui" team. At the outset, might I say that your example was to us far more than an inspiration. We shall always remember the calm, courageous and ingenious manner in which you handled the great many difficulties which confronted the Special Branch team and we all look back on those days with the greatest admiration for you. It gives us great satisfaction to know that we served under the first and only Assistant Commissioner to have personally led a small party of men on a mission of such danger in the Aberdare Forest range and for this we thank and admire you Sir. We also admire the manner in which you willingly and cheerfully took upon yourself the many very heavy burdens of worry and responsibility and, in particular the way you fought to give "Chui" every chance of success in the face of criticism and obstruction from other quarters. We feel we are entitled to express our opinion that no other officer in the force could have done what you did under those circumstances and we shall always look back upon your leadership and spirit in "Chui" as a perfect example of the often preached but seldom practised rule that in order to lead one should demand of one´s subordinates only that which one can do oneself. Among those who will be congratulating you on your award of the George Medal, I can assure you there are none who do so with the same sincerity and pleasure as your "Chui" staff and we all look forward with added confidence to tackling the tasks which face you as our Special Branch Chief in the future.´ (Letter to recipient from Henderson, dated 2.10.1955, refers). Prendergast was promoted Assistant Commissioner, in charge of Kenya Special Branch, in December 1956. He stayed employed in that capacity until 1958. Cyprus - A New Foe Prendergast was posted to Cyprus as Head of Intelligence, Cyprus Police, in 1958. This appointment was much heralded in the national press at the time - ´a "cloak-and-dagger" police officer who helped to beat the Mau Mau terror gangs in Kenya is going to Cyprus to help in the battle against EOKA terrorists there.´ (The Daily Mirror, 24.11.1958, refers). He was also proclaimed as ´one of the men who broke the Mau Mau´ (The Daily Express, 24.11.1958, refers). In the two years that Prendergast was stationed in Cyprus he was ´responsible for running [Colonel] Grivas to ground and then - on the instructions of Alan Lennox-Boyd, the Colonial Secretary - allowing him to leave the island rather than having him eliminated´ (The Times, Lives Remembered, refers). The Express offers more detail, ´it was he who escorted Archbishop Makarios into exile in the Seycelles, he who, as the final curtain came down on the Grivas drama, took the little Greek terrorist leader to Nicosia Airport and saw him off the island.´ Hong Kong - The Next ´Hot-Spot´ Prendergast was gaining a reputation as a ´trouble shooter´, and having been awarded the C.B.E. for his services in Cyprus he was parachuted into the next ´hot-spot´ - Hong Kong, ´it was hardly surprising - except to those who knew him - John Prendergast should be written up during his lifetime as "the real life James Bond." He has the looks - he was often likened to Gary Cooper or Cary Grant - and experienced all the excitement and danger that people had come to associate with that of a spy. His career moved hand-in-hand with history, as one after another of Britain´s colonies, strove - often violently for independence...... He spent much of his time undercover.´ (Ibid). Prendergast served as Director of Special Branch Hong Kong Police, 1960-66, ´his targets this time were agents infiltrating the colony from mainland China bent on subversion. He also renewed his links with MI5 for whom the colony provided the ideal "listening post" to monitor activity on the Chinese mainland.´ (Ibid). A Well Earned Rest - But Not For Too Long Awarded the Q.P.M. in 1963, Prendergast retired for the first time in 1966, having advanced to the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police. He was quickly lured out of retirement as trouble flaired up in Aden. He was posted there as Director of Intelligence, British High Commission, and was awarded a C.M.G. for the services that followed. Prendergast embarked on retirement for a second time in 1968. Having settled in Malta he managed to spend five years out of the limelight before he was tempted back into the fray for one last time, ´following a flying visit by Hong Kong´s governor, Sir Murray MacLehose..... On this occasion it was to engage an entirely different kind of enemy: corruption in Hong Kong.´ (Ibid). He was paired with Sir Jack Cater, the first Commissioner of Hong Kong´s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). Prendergast, with his worldwide intelligence experience, was the iron fist of the operation, whilst Cater was the public face that was known and trusted in Hong Kong. Prendergast was appointed as Director of Operations, ICAC, and Deputy Commissioner of Police, ´what made this assignment particularly difficult for a man who had spent his life in the police was that the corruption took the form of graft within the colony´s police force. What made it even more difficult was that graft was such an accepted part of the colony´s everyday life that many had come to believe that it could not function without it. His achievement in getting Chief Superintendent Peter Godber back to Hong Kong to stand trial after he had made a suspicuously easy get-away to England, gave the fledgling anti-corruption commission just the boost it needed to convince doubters that it meant business. In 1977, having seen the Commission become an effective and feared anti-corruption machine, John Prendergast retired again - this time for good..... He was appointed K.B.E. in 1977.´ (Ibid) In later life Prendergast resided in Wiltshire before returning to London, ´in London he indulged his love of books (he collected first editions); lunched at his club, the East India, and was constantly on the phone to his bookmaker and stockbroker. One of his few regrets was that nothing useful could be found for him to do on his final retirement. However, not being one to sit around, he divided his week between acting as a porter at one local hospital, carrying patients´ bags, and collecting funds for another..... He was a workaholic, often taking time off at the weekends only to go to mass or to indulge his love of racing.´ (Ibid)

Sold for
£14,000