Corporal William George Pattenden

Service number 17151, 1716
Ranks Held Private, Sergeant
Birth Date 1887-10-25
Birth Place Australia: New South Wales, Sydney, Petersham
Death Date 1962-10-10
Death Place Australia: Queensland
Final Rank Corporal
Unit 55th Australian Infantry Battalion
Places
Conflicts/Operations
  • First World War, 1914-1918
  • First World War, 1914-1918
Description

William George Pattenden was born at Petersham, New South Wales, on 25 October 1887 to parents Joseph Pattenden and Esther Pattenden (née Martin). He was the first born of eight children, with three brothers and four sisters.

Pattenden married Alice Emiline Burke at St. Leonards, New South Wales in 1909. The couple had two children, a daughter born in 1909 and a son who died at birth in 1912. Pattenden served for two years in the New South Wales Militia. At the time of his enlistment, Pattenden was working as a timekeeper for the New South Wales Government Railways.

Pattenden enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) at Goulburn, New South Wales, on 2 November 1915 and was attached to the 2nd Reinforcements for the 55th Battalion. On 14 April 1916 he embarked for Egypt on the troopship Ceramic, arriving at Port Said on 16 May. Promoted to corporal on 17 May, Pattenden embarked from Alexandria, Egyp, on the troopship Arcadian, disembarking at Southampton, England, on 9 August 1916. He was attached to the permanent cadre of the 14th Training Battalion at Tidworth and appointed temporary sergeant on 1 January 1917. The AIF training camps in England provided additional training for reinforcements arriving for the Western Front that had received only their basic training in Australia.

On 14 June 1917, Pattenden reverted to his permanent rank of corporal and on 28 June he was sent to France and taken on strength with the 55th Battalion on 1 July. On 26 September, Pattenden was wounded in action during the attack by the battalion on the German lines at Polygon Wood, Belgium. After initial treatment in France, Pattenden was admitted to the Kitchener Military Hospital in Brighton, England, for treatment for a shrapnel wound to his neck. Pattenden was transferred to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford on 12 November. After his release from hospital he was attached to the No. 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott. In April 1918, Pattenden was sent to the Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill in preparation for a return to France. On 5 July, Pattenden returned to his unit in France and stayed there until 1 November 1918, when he was transferred to England for return to Australia.

On 21 December, Pattenden embarked for Australia on the troopship Somali, disembarking in Melbourne on 14 February 1919. During the voyage, Pattenden participated in a series of three concerts held on 18 January, 27 January and 1 February as a member of The Rising Sun concert party. Pattenden was recorded on the concert program as a light comedian and interlocutor, and also as stage manager. Pattenden’s performances included comic songs “Strafe ‘em”, “Strafe”, “Sweet and Low”, “Top hole” and “The Ruddy Platoon” and a series of comic sketches. Pattenden was discharged on 10 April 1919.

Following his discharge, Pattenden was employed as a clerk, living initially in North Sydney until the 1930s, when he moved to Queensland. Until his death, Pattenden lived in various suburbs of Brisbane, including Enogerra, Paddington and Greenslopes.

William George Pattenden died in Queensland on 10 October 1962 at the age of 74.

Rolls

Timeline

Date of birth 25 October 1887
Date of birth 25 October 1887
Date of enlistment 02 November 1915
Date of embarkation 14 April 1916
Date returned to Australia 10 December 1918
Date of death 10 October 1962
Date of death 10 October 1962