Lieutenant Colonel Aidan Mark Sprot (19 January 1919 – 28 January 2021) was a British Army officer, who won an immediate

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level until 1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth of ...

and later served as the

Lord Lieutenant of Tweeddale This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Tweeddale. The office replaced the Lord Lieutenant of Peeblesshire in 1975. *''Scott had been Lord Lieutenant of Peeblesshire'' *1975–1980; Sir Robert Scott *1980–1994; L ...

Early life

Sprot was born on 19 January 1919 and was the son of Mark and Meliora Sprot (a daughter of Sir John Hay, 9th Baronet and Anne Milliken-Napier, daughter of Sir Robert Milliken-Napier, 9th Baronet). His sister Celia became Viscountess Whitelaw. He was educated at

Stowe School The Stowe School is a public school (English private boarding school) for pupils aged 13–18 in the countryside of Stowe, England. It was opened on 11 May, 1923 at Stowe House, a Grade I Heritage Estate belonging to the British Crown. ...

, Sprot was forbidden from following his father into the army, and initially worked as a banker in the

City of London The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...

Military career

On the outbreak of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Sprot joined his father's old regiment, the

Royal Scots Greys The Royal Scots Greys was a cavalry regiment of the Army of Scotland that became a regiment of the British Army in 1707 upon the Union of Scotland and England, continuing until 1971 when they amalgamated with the 3rd Carabiniers (Prince of ...

and was commissioned in 1941. Serving in

Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...

on internal security duties, Sprot then moved with his regiment to the Western Desert, where he took part in the

Second Battle of El Alamein The Second Battle of El Alamein (23 October – 11 November 1942) was a battle of the Second World War that took place near the Egyptian Railway station, railway halt of El Alamein. The First Battle of El Alamein and the Battle of Alam el Halfa ...

. In September 1943, he served during

Operation Avalanche Operation Avalanche was the codename for the Allied landings near the port of Salerno, executed on 9 September 1943, part of the Allied invasion of Italy during World War II. The Italians withdrew from the war the day before the invasion, but ...

, the landings at Salerno. In June 1944, the Royal Scots Greys were assigned to the

Normandy landings The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on 6 June 1944 of the Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during the Second World War. Codenamed Operation Neptune and ...

, during which Sprot commanded the reconnaissance troop. He later saw action in the

Falaise Pocket The Falaise pocket or battle of the Falaise pocket (; 12–21 August 1944) was the decisive engagement of the Battle of Normandy in the Second World War. Allied forces formed a pocket around Falaise, Calvados, in which German Army Group B, c ...

, where, on 1 September 1944, he performed the actions that resulted in him being awarded the

. After driving a

Stuart tank The M3 Stuart/light tank M3, was a US light tank of World War II, first entered service in the British Army in early 1941 and saw action in the North African campaign in July 1941. Later an improved version of the tank entered service as the ...

over two stone bridges which were being prepared for demolition, at a third bridge, made of wood, Sprot was held up by enemy guns. After these were knocked out, a Scissors bridge was installed, which did not cover the full span. Sprot drove his tank, under heavy sniper fire, across the bridge, paving the way for half of the squadron to follow before the bridge became unusable, allowing for the village of

Long Long may refer to: Measurement * Long, characteristic of something of great duration * Long, characteristic of something of great length * Longitude (abbreviation: long.), a geographic coordinate * Longa (music), note value in early music mens ...

to be captured. After World War II, Sprot remained with Royal Scots Greys in Germany until 1952, before later also serving in Libya, Egypt and Jordan. He became the commander of the regiment from 1959 until his retirement from the army in 1962.

Post military career

At the request of his uncle, Sir Duncan Hay, 10th Baronet of Smithfield and Haystoun, Sprot moved to the Riddell estate near

Peebles Peebles () is a town in the Scottish Borders, Scotland. It was historically a royal burgh and the county town of Peeblesshire. According to the United Kingdom census, 2011, 2011 census, the population was 8,376 and the estimated population in ...

, which he subsequently inherited. Sprot was a member of the Queen's Bodyguard for Scotland and served for 14 years as the

. He was also active with the

British Red Cross The British Red Cross Society () is the United Kingdom body of the worldwide neutral and impartial humanitarian network the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The society was formed in 1870, and is a registered charity with 1 ...

and

Scout Association The Scout Association is the largest organisation in the Scout Movement in the Scouting in the United Kingdom, United Kingdom. Following the rapid development of the Scouting, Scout Movement from 1907, The Scout Association was formed in 1910 ...

. Sprot was awarded the French

Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

in 2015.

Family

Sprot never married.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sprot, Aidan 1919 births 2021 deaths Lord-lieutenants of Tweeddale Royal Scots Greys officers People educated at Stowe School Recipients of the Military Cross British recipients of the Legion of Honour British men centenarians British Army personnel of World War II