Commissioned March 1940 was deployed to France with the 1st Field Squadron RE on detachment to the 51st Highland Division. On June 12, 1940 a majority of the squadron were taken prisoner at St. Valery, Only 4 Officers managed to make it back to England, 2nd Lt. Pratt-Johnson being one of them.
June 1941 Lt. Pratt-Johnson was deployed to the King George V’s Own Royal Bengal Sappers & Miners, I.E. in India, were he served before being transferred to 31st Field Squadron, Indian Engineers in North Africa. Committed to action in the Western Desert, the Squadron took part in the Gazala battle and in the more famous defense of Tobruck in 1942. Once again his Squadron suffered from large-scale capture, but Capt. Pratt-Johnson was lucky again and was away at the time.
Promoted to Major in January 1944 Major Pratt-Johnson was Officer CommandingOf the 31st Field Squadron, I.E. until his transfer to Burma and India in April 1945, where he was Acting Lt. Col. In the King George V’s Own Royal Bengal Sappers & Miners, I.E. and Later Temp Lt. Col for the Queen Victoria’s Own Madras Sappers & Miners, I.E.Major Pratt-Johnson relinquished his commission on 28 November 1953 and was granted honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Photo taken in Cairo, Egypt, Circa 1944/1945
Chris Pratt-Johnson Collection/Photograph by Jean Weinberg
Picture scanned from original 23cm X 17cm signed silver gelatin print.
Copyright: Unknown
