THE HISTORY

General Sir Harry Prendergast

In 1857 a young Harry Prendergast serving with the British Army in India is injured saving the life of a fellow lieutenant. For this and further acts of conspicuous bravery lieutenant Prendergast was awarded the Victoria Cross, Britain’s highest award for gallantry. Almost 130 years later it is suggested that his Medal, on loan from the Prendergast family to the National Army Museum for twenty years, may not be the original. This site presents the story of General Sir Harry Prendergast’s Victoria Cross, how its authenticity came to be questioned and why new evidence is now querying this.

THE CONTROVERSY

Following the death of General Sir Harry’s wife in 1927 the Victoria Cross passed to his daughter-in-law, Mrs Theo Prendergast,