Brigadier David Pontifex CBE, Late Rifle Brigade/RGJ, born 16 Sep 1922, educated at Downside, commissioned 16 Apr 1942, saw wartime service in North Africa, Italy and Germany and subsequently served in the UK, Germany, Egypt, Kenya, USA, Far East and commanded the 1^st Bn Fed Army Saudi Arabia, Div Brig Lt Div 1969-73, died on Saturday 19 Feb 2011.

a. No newspaper announcements have been made yet.

b. Details of funeral and thanksgiving service are not yet known.

c. The address for letters of condolence is:

Mrs DM Pontifex  (Kate/Kathleen)

68 Shortheath Road

Farnham

Surrey

GU9 8SQ

Funeral Service of the late Brig DM Pontifex:

Monday 28 February at 1130 am

St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church

19 Tilford Road

Farnham

Surrey

GU9 8DT

 Details will also be published the Times and the Telegraph.

David More Pontifex was born in Ealing on 16^th September 1922, the son of Lt Cdr John Pontifex RN and Monica née Matthews. After attending school at Downside, he joined the Rifle Brigade in 1941 and was commissioned the following year. After service in the Motor Training Battalion, he was posted to the 10^th Battalion of the Rifle Brigade in North Africa.

In early 1944 the Battalion moved to Italy and was involved in the final battle for Monte Cassino in May. The 2^nd, 7^th, and 10^th Battalions were at this time formed into the 61^st Infantry Brigade under command of Brigadier Adrian Gore, a Rifle Brigade officer. The brigade fought its way north through the Hitler and Gothic Lines and, by the time the brigade had reached the Apennines, such heavy casualties had been suffered that the 10^th was incorporated into the depleted 2^nd Battalion.  David, now commanding the Scout Platoon, was in the lead as the battalion emerged from the mountains to face a difficult crossing of the Po Valley. For his courageous leadership and drive in reaching the Austrian border at the head of the leading formations on 8^th May 1945, he was mentioned in dispatches.

After the War, the 2^nd Battalion was posted to Germany where he was appointed adjutant to Lt Col Vic Turner VC. He spent two years as an instructor at Eaton Hall Officer Cadet School in Cheshire and, having attended Staff College, was posted to 16 Parachute Brigade as DAA&QMG after completing parachute training. The brigade, commanded by Brigadier Ken Darling, was based in Egypt at a time of growing instability in the Middle East with Colonel Nasser increasing his influence. Major exercises were conducted in Sinai, Jordan, and Cyprus, involving air-drops and creating complex logistic problems which allowed him to hone his skills as a staff officer.

In 1954 he was posted back to the 1^st Battalion in Kenya which was operating in the Aberdares. In command of C Company, he moved with the battalion to the forests at the base of Mount Kenya where deep patrolling was carried out in attempts to locate terrorist camps. Although success was hard to find, he was appointed MBE for his achievements. On leaving the Battalion, he returned to UK and a post in the Military Operations department of the War Office where he faced the considerable demands posed by the Suez Crisis. After attending the American Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk, Virginia, he returned to the battalion now based in Wuppertal in West Germany, in command of A Company.  In 1960 he was appointed Brigade Major of 63 Gurkha Brigade at Kluang in Johore, Malaya. The Malayan Emergency was nearing its end but his tour was not without excitements. During a reconnaissance for an exercise in Sabah, North Borneo, the Piper aircraft in which he was flying crashed into the jungle shearing off its wings but allowing the pilot and passengers to emerge unscathed. 

Two years later he was selected to command the 1^st Battalion The Federal Regular Army of Aden (FRA). After an intensive Arabic language course he arrived to take over the battalion situated in the mountains overlooking the border with Yemen. His intelligent and diplomatic approach to the leadership of his Arab soldiers and the complexities of local tribal politics soon paid dividends.  He led major operations into the tribal areas of Wadi Harib and Wadi Faraah; challenging terrain for armoured vehicles, even with artillery and air support, necessitating dropping off infantry by helicopter to picket the high ground. As the situation in the colony deteriorated with the imminence of independence, he  took command of both 1^st and 2^nd Battalions FRA in a complex operation to clear and dominate the Radfan area. For his skill in managing this demanding role he was appointed OBE.

He returned to the British Army of the Rhine in 1965 as GSO1 of the 2^nd Division and on promotion was appointed Colonel General Staff at the Army Staff College. It was during his time at Camberley that he married Kate Matheson, a happy marriage which produced five children. In 1969 he took up the role of Divisional Brigadier of the Light Division based at Winchester. In the early days of the newly formed Division, this was a post which demanded considerable tact and diplomacy together with the innate capability to handle some sensitive issues. There could not have been a more appropriate appointment.

After a tour in the Ministry of Defence as Deputy Director of Army Staff Duties, he was appointed, in 1975, Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff, South East District at Aldershot. For this, his final posting, he was appointed CBE and ADC to the Queen (1975-77). On retiring from the Army, he spent ten years as General Secretary of the Army Cadet Force Association and Secretary of the Combined Cadet Force Association. For these years he was at the heart of the Cadet movement and contributed considerably to its successful modernisation.

The Rifle Brigade meant a great deal to David throughout his life and he produced an impressive book for the Regimental Bicentenary. He always commanded great respect and took a personal interest in developing young officers. Known affectionately by his brother officers as the Pope, he was a most capable and accomplished officer; diligent, precise, meticulous and scrupulously fair. But more than this, he was a man imbued with essential Christian goodness.

In retirement, he lived in Farnham, Surrey with Kate and their children, Catherine, Emily, Louise, Rosalind and John. He nurtured his love of reading, history and travel. He died on 19^th February 2011 surrounded by his family.

M