John Donaldson Patterson

John and Wife Elizabeth
WW 2 1945 in Naval Police uniform
Personal Information
Date of Birth	13 Sep 1893
Place of Birth	Dundee, Scotland
Death	3 Aug 1973, aged 78
Place of Death	Bayswater, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	22 years, 1 month
Description	5'9" (1.75m) tall; weight 156 lbs (70.8kg); fair complexion, green eyes, brown hair.
Occupation	sleeper hewer
Religion	Methodist
Address	Jarrahdale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father Mr James Patterson
Military Information
Reg Number	4574
Date of Enlistment	1 Nov 1915
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	11th Battalion, 14th Reinforcement, posted to D Company / 3rd Brigade, 1st Division
Date of Embarkation	12 Feb 1916 - 10 Mar 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A28 Miltiades
Date of Return	21 Jun 1919 - 16 Jul 1919 31 Jul 1919 - 15 Aug 1919
Ship Returned On	SS Königin Luise SS Dunvegan Castle
Fate	Wounded in Action 3 Jun 1918 (gassed)
Monument	Jarrahdale
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Emigrated to Australia with parents and siblings on the SS Belic, arriving in Fremantle on 23 Nov 1912. Appears to have been in Greenbushes when he signed up.

War Service

Entered camp on 1 Nov 1915, and on 16 Dec 1915 he was allocated to the 14th reinforcement draft for the 11th Battalion, and he travelled with them to Egypt. However, he was to spend very little time in Egypt as on 29 Mar 1916 he was embarked in Alexandria on HMT Transylvania for Marseilles where they arrived on 4 Apr 1916.

In France he was initially sent to the 1st Division's Base Depot, before being taken on strength by the 11th Battalion on 25 May 1916 and posted to D Company where his role was that of stretcher bearer.

On 10 Nov 1916 he reported to the 2nd Australian Field Ambulance with trench feet. Passed on to the 38th Casualty Clearing Station the same day, on 12 Nov 1916 he entered the 1st Australian General Hospital in Rouen, and on 14 Nov 1916 he embarked on HMHS St George in Rouen for England where he was admitted to the 1st London General Hospital on 17 Nov 1916. In Dec 1916 he was well enough to be granted furlough for 2 weeks and then transferred to the Infantry Draft Depot at No.4 camp Perham Downs. During his leave he was married in Dundee, Scotland on 20 Dec 1916 to Elizabeth Munro of Dundee.

Proceeded overseas to France via Southampton on 28 Nov 1917, and on 5 Dec 1917 he rejoined the battalion which was rebuilding and retraining at Courset about 25 km north east of Étaples.

On 2 Jun 1918 the battalion was moving into position to launch an attack on Mont de Merris near Strazeele in France when John was one of 14 men who were gassed on the way in shortly before midnight which explains the date of injury in his records being recorded as 3 Jun 1918 as he would not have been seen until then. Treated first by the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance and then the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station, on 4 Jun 1918 he was passed on to the 54th General Hospital in Boulogne. On 16 Jun 1918 he entered the 1st Convalescent Depot.

A short stint in the division's base depot and he was back with the 11th Battalion on 29 Jun 1918. With hostilities seemingly concluded, John was granted leave to the UK on 27 Nov 1918, rejoining his battalion in France on 27 Dec 1918. It wasn't until 3 Apr 1919 before he left France to begin the journey back to Australia. In England on 28 Apr 1919 he was charged with having been AWOL from midnight 22 Apr 1919 until 9:00am 28 Apr 1919. Awarded 8 days Field Punishment No.2, and forfeiture of 14 days pay.

On the way home he disembarked in Cape Town due to his wife's illness (miscarriage). Re-embarked in Durban for Fremantle.

Discharged 5th Military District 7 Oct 1919.

Post War

Electoral Roll entries - 1925 "Brooklands" Balingup, farmer; 1937 Greenbushes, labourer; 1943 - 1954 at 11 Mofflin avenue, Claremont, constable; 1958 - 1972 at 128 Railway parade, Bayswater

John, Elizabeth and the three sons are listed as having arrived at Tilbury Docks London aboard RMS Ormuz on 4 Mar 1927. Elizabeth died 16 May 1975, aged 80 in South Perth (?)

During WW2 John enlisted with the Army (W29071) on 21 Sep 1940, and served until 3 Mar 1944 with the 2nd Training Battalion as a Sergeant. On 7 May 1945 until 25 Apr 1949 he was a member (1202) of the Royal Australian Navy serving with the Naval Police at HMAS Leeuwin as a Constable. A son John Donaldson Jnr served with the 2nd AIF WX28400 from 17 Jun 1942 til 20 Feb 1946 as a Sergeant in the 43rd Australian Landing Craft Company.