Happy Birthday, You Bastard

July 10th, John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort

John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
July 10th, 1886

John Standish Surtees Prendergast Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort, was born on July 10, 1886, in London. His parents were Eleanor, Viscountess Gort, and John Gage Prendergast Vereker, 5th Viscount Gort. Raised in County Durham and the Isle of Wight, Gort was educated at Malvern Link Preparatory School and Harrow School. He entered the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, in 1904 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Grenadier Guards in 1905.

Gort’s early military career saw him promoted to lieutenant in 1907. Gort led the Grenadier Guards who carried King Edward VII's coffin at his funeral in May 1910. For his role in the ceremony, he was honored with the title of Member of the Royal Victorian Order.

In 1914, at the outbreak of the First World War, he was promoted to captain and sent to France with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). He distinguished himself on the Western Front, earning the Military Cross in 1915 and the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in 1917. His leadership at the Battle of the Canal du Nord in September 1918 earned him the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry available to British and Commonweath military personnel.

His Victoria Cross citation read:

Captain (Brevet Major, Acting Lieutenant-Colonel), 1st Battalion The Grenadier Guards

Citation: For most conspicuous bravery, skilful leading and devotion to duty during the attack of the Guards Division on 27th September 1918, across the Canal du Nord, near Flesquieres, when in command of the 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards, the leading battalion of the 3rd Guards Brigade. Under heavy artillery and machine-gun fire he led his battalion with great skill and determination to the "forming-up" ground, where very severe fire from artillery and machine guns was again encountered. Although wounded, he quickly grasped the situation, directed a platoon to proceed down a sunken road to make a flanking attack, and, under terrific fire, went across open ground to obtain the assistance of a Tank, which he personally led and directed to the best possible advantage. While thus fearlessly exposing himself, he was again severely wounded by a shell. Notwithstanding considerable loss of blood, after lying on a stretcher for a while, he insisted on getting up and personally directing the further attack. By his magnificent example of devotion to duty and utter disregard of personal safety all ranks were inspired to exert themselves to the utmost, and the attack resulted in the capture of over 200 prisoners, two batteries of field guns and numerous machine guns. Lt.-Col. Viscount Gort then proceeded to organise the defence of the captured position until he collapsed; even then he refused to leave the field until he had seen the "success signal" go up on the final objective.

The successful advance of the battalion was mainly due to the valour, devotion and leadership of this very gallant officer.

Post-war, Gort was promoted to major and then to colonel. He served in various staff positions, including at the Senior Officers' School at Sheerness and as a staff officer at London District. In 1926, he became chief instructor at the Senior Officers' School. Gort was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1928 and promoted to major-general in 1935. By 1937, he was Chief of the Imperial General Staff, advocating for a strong land army to defend France and the Low Countries.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, Gort was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the BEF in France. Despite initial setbacks, he orchestrated the famous Dunkirk evacuation, saving most of the British and Allied troops. Although his decision to retreat was controversial, it was crucial in preserving the BEF. Subsequently, Gort was sidelined to non-combat roles, including Inspector of Training and the Home Guard.

Gort served as Governor of Gibraltar (1941-1942) and Malta (1942-1944). His leadership during the siege of Malta earned him the Sword of Honour from the Maltese. In 1943, he witnessed the Italian surrender in Valletta. He ended the war running the British Mandate in Palestine as High Commissioner for Palestine and Transjordan, striving to maintain good relations between Jews and Arabs during a tumultuous period. Despite rising tensions in Palestine, Gort worked hard to build good relationships with both Jews and Arabs and he advocated both a two-state solution and peace among rival communities.

On his departure, due to ill health, The Palestine Post wrote that "No High Commissioner in the twenty-five years of British rule in Palestine enjoyed greater popular trust and none repaid it with greater personal kindness."

Gort married his second cousin, Corinna Katherine Vereker, in 1911. They had three children: Charles, Jocelyn, and Jacqueline. His elder son, Charles, served in the Grenadier Guards but tragically committed suicide in 1941. Jocelyn died young, and Jacqueline married The Honourable William Sidney, later the 1st Viscount De L'Isle.

Gort’s health deteriorated due to liver cancer, leading to his resignation as High Commissioner in 1945. He returned to England and was admitted to Guy's Hospital in London, where he died on March 31, 1946, at 59. He was buried in the Sidney family vault at St. John the Baptist Church, Penshurst, Kent.