John Vereker was a British soldier best known for his period in command of the B.E.F. in 1939-1940, which ended with the evacuation from Dunkirk. His full name was John Standish Surtees Prendergast Vereker, sixth Viscount Gort in the Irish Peerage, but he was normally refered to as Lord Gort.
Background
John Standish Surtees Prendergast Vereker was born in London. His mother was Eleanor, Viscountess Gort née Surtees (1846–1933; later Eleanor Benson), who was a daughter of writer Robert Smith Surtees. J. S. S. P. Vereker's father was John Gage Prendergast Vereker, 5th Viscount Gort (1849 –1902).
Education
He attended Sandhurst in 1905-6, gaining an appointment to the Grenadier Guards in 1905. By the start of the First World War, he had reached the rank of captain.
Career
An Irishman who succeeded his father to the peerage (above) in 1902, he was educated at Harrow and gazetted to the Grenadier Guards on being commissioned in 1905. After serving in France as an operations officer (GSO 2) at GHQ, he commanded in succession the 4th and 1st Bns, Grenadier Guards, 1917-18 (VC, two DSOs, MC). In 1937, after being commandant at Camberley, he was jumped ahead of senior officers including Dill to be CIGS. A full general in 1937, knighted (KCB) the next year, Lord Gort turned over his post as CIGS to Dill and took the BEF to France in Sep 1939. Although unimag inative and preoccupied with minutia, not an inspiring general, Lord Gort saved the BEF after it was outflanked on the Belgian frontier and driven back toward the Channel. Violating WEYGAND's strict orders against withdrawal, showing strategic sense and initiative as Belgian and French resistance collapsed on his flanks, Gort conducted a good delaying action. Late on 31 May 1940 he received orders to transfer command of the rear guard to Alexander and return to England (Cyril Falls in DNB). The venerable British general had performed with credit in his final service as a field commander, being largely responsible for saving the BEF and many French in the Dunkirk Evacuation, 26 May-4 June 1940.
Too old for the post of commander in chief of the British Army he was elevated in the honors hierarchy to GCB and appointed IG to the Forces for Training, 1940-41. Lord Gort then was Governor and CinC at Gibraltar, where he had an invaluable airstrip built and improved relations with Spain. Turning over command to Mason-Macfarlane he succeeded Dobbie as Governor General and CINC on Malta. 1942-44. Worn down by his duties, which he performed well, and being made a field marshal in 1943. Lord Gort ended his career as CINC Palestine and High Commissioner for Transjordan, 1944-45. He was created the first Viscount Gort in the UK peerage in 1945.