PRENDERGAST, F/L James Bernard (J8139) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.430 Squadron - Award effective 23 March as per London Gazette dated 3 April 1945 and AFRO 765/45 dated 4 May 1945. Born 23 February 1920 in Victoria (birth date in obituary notice); home there (assistant postmaster); enlisted in Vancouver, 8 February 1941 and posted to No.2 Manning Depot. To No.8 Repair Depot, 4 March 1941. To No.2 ITS, 9 April 1941; graduated and promoted LAC, 27 May 1941 when posted to No.2 EFTS; may have graduated 15 July 1941 but not posted to No.11 SFTS until 26 July 1941; graduated and commissioned 7 October 1941. Posted to School of Army Cooperation (later No.123 Squadron), 16 October 1941. Promoted Flying Officer, 1 November 1942. Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 1 February 1943. To “Y” Depot, 17 July 1943; to United Kingdom that date. Repatriated 23 February 1945; promoted Squadron Leader, 8 April 1945; overseas again, 10 April 1945. Commanded No.414 Squadron, 18 April to 7 August 1945. Destroyed two FW.190s, 2 May 1945. Repatriated 16 November 1945; released 13 December 1945. Award presented by Governor General, 24 May 1946. RCAF photo PL-31109 (ex UK-13452 dared 11 August 1944) shows members of No.39 Wing in France on the occasion of visit by entertainer George Fornby - F/L Jim Predergast, P/O Ken Duffin, F/L Wally Walters, F/L Lloyd Wigle, F/L Larry Seath, George Fornby, F/O Smith Johnson, F/L Norm Jones, Mrs. Fornby, F/O Albert Smith, F/L Art Goldby, F/L Lyle Goring, F/O Harry Savage, Captain Jack Warriner and G/C Ernie Moncrieff, AFC. Photos PL-37853 and PL-46183 show him. PL-41883 (ex UK-18649 dated 8 February 1945), left is F/L James Prendergast, right is F/L T. Tummon, taken on visit of Under Secretary of State for Air (Commander R.A. Brebner, DSC) to wing in Holland. Caption for PL-46183 (ex UK-23677 dated 13 November 1945) reads as follows: “This man shot down the only two enemy planes he ever saw during nearly two tours with reconnaissance squadrons. He is S/L Jim Prendergast, DFC of Victoria and is now at the RCAF Repatriation Depot at Torquay. He and his flying mate were given official credit for being the last two to do an operational flight in North-Western Germany.” Died in Mississauga, Ontario, 11 August 2005. // Since the invasion of France in June 1944, this officer has flown daily as a section leader on tactical and photographic reconnaissance, at all times showing great enthusiasm for his work and producing excellent results by his skill as a pilot. As a fighter reconnaissance pilot Flight Lieutenant Prendergast has proved himself to be both competent and outstanding. He has at all times shown exceptional keenness and devotion to duty. // RCAF Press Release No.11267 dated 9 November, 1945 from F/O Len Taylor, transcribed by Huguette Mondor Oates reads as below; associated with photo UK-23677: // TORQUAY, ENGLAND: -- One of the last two men to do an operational flight over Germany is on his way back to Canada. Now at the RCAF Repatriation Depot in Torquay, S/L Jim Prendergast, DFC, of Victoria, B.C. (1147 Camrose Crescent) recalls how he and his “number two” photographed flak positions after the “cease fire” orders had been given to make sure the Germans were obeying the instructions. // In one afternoon, Prendergast shot down the only two enemy fighters he saw during nearly two tours and on another trip he followed a 12,000 pound bomb almost until it hit its target to photograph the results. With his flying mate, both in Mustangs, Prendergast flew over gun sites in North-Western Germany to make sure the Jerries were not firing back at Allied planes on May 5th after the “cease fire” for that part of the country. They were give credit officially for being the last two men to do an operational flight over that section of the European war. // Once while doing reconnaissance work in his Mustang, Prendergast followed a 12,000 pounder after it fell from a Lancaster to photograph results. “It just fell lazily out of the Lanc as though it had lots of time and then rolled over and over until ‘Kaploonk’ right on the target. I got a good picture of the damage.” // It was after his first tour when he had gone home for 30 days leave that Prendergast destroyed two enemy planes. While flying one day as C.O. of a Spitfire reconnaissance squadron, he destroyed two Me190’s in the same afternoon, “the first I ever saw”. When the last exploded, he was so close behind that his Spitfire was damaged about the cockpit. // Prendergast’s most thrilling days were spent in the period of D-Day. “I was over the beachhead the very hour of the invasion,” he said. “We watched the landing craft approaching the beaches. Later, we saw the Germans escaping through the Falaise Gap.” General Eisenhower, Field Marshall Montgomery and General Simpson of the 2nd British army all sent messages of thanks to Prendergast’s first squadron for providing the photographs not only of the beachheads but for the whole advance of the British armies through France, Belgium and Germany. // When he is discharged in Canada, Prendergast intends to live in Montreal where he will go into the Insurance business.