John Henry Patterson (author)

John Henry Patterson
Born(1867-11-10)10 November 1867
Forgney, County Longford, Ireland
Died18 June 1947(1947-06-18) (aged 79)
Bel Air, California
Buried
Allegiance United Kingdom
Branch British Army
Service years1884–1920
RankLieutenant-Colonel
CommandsJewish Legion
Wars
AwardsDistinguished Service Order
Spouse(s)
Frances Helena Gray
(m. 1895)
ChildrenBryan Patterson

Lieutenant-Colonel John Henry Patterson DSO (10 November 1867 – 18 June 1947) was a British Army officer, hunter, and author best known for his book The Man-eaters of Tsavo (1907), which details Patterson's experiences during the construction of a railway bridge over the Tsavo River in the East Africa Protectorate from 1898 to 1899. The book went on to inspire three films: Bwana Devil (1952), Killers of Kilimanjaro (1959), and The Ghost and the Darkness (1996). During World War I, Patterson served as the commander of the Jewish Legion, which has been described as the first precursor to the Israel Defense Forces.[1]

  1. ^ Netanyahu, Benjamin (4 December 2014). "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Remarks at the Burial Ceremony for Lt. Col. John Henry Patterson's Ashes". Gov.il. Prime Minister's Office. Retrieved 16 March 2023.