John George Pattison

He braved heavy fire to silence a machine gun at Vimy Ridge.

John George Pattison was born at Woolwich, England, on 8 September 1875. Before emigrating he belonged to the St James' Hatcham company of the Church Lads' Brigade in southeast London and trained as a platelayer. In 1906 he moved to Canada with his wife, Sophia Louise, and their four children. After living for a time at Rapid City, Manitoba, the family settled in Calgary, Alberta, where he worked for the Calgary Gas Company.

Pattison enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force at Calgary on 6 March 1916, aged forty, joining the 137th Battalion. A labourer with no previous military service, he entered the army as Private 808887. His son Henry had also enlisted, and father and son travelled to England together in August 1916. Pattison subsequently passed through the 21st Reserve Battalion before being sent to France on 1 February 1917 to serve with the 50th Battalion. The battalion formed part of the 10th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 4th Canadian Division.

On 10 April 1917, the second day of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, the 50th Battalion attacked the German positions around Hill 145. A machine gun stopped the Canadian advance and inflicted heavy casualties. Pattison went forward alone, using successive shell holes for cover until he was within thirty yards of the gun. Under heavy fire, he threw grenades into the position, killing or wounding members of its crew. He then rushed the emplacement and overcame the five surviving gunners with his bayonet. With the gun silenced, the Canadians could continue towards their objective. This action earned him the Victoria Cross, one of four awarded for the battle.

Pattison remained with the 50th Battalion after Vimy. On 7 May he was admitted to No. 1 Field Ambulance with multiple wounds and rejoined his unit on 11 May. Canadian operations then continued towards Lens, where the battalion was ordered to capture the Central Electric Generating Station north of La Coulotte. During the fighting on 3 June 1917, Pattison and the men with him were killed by shellfire while holding an advanced post beyond the power station. He was forty-one and still a private. Initially reported missing, he was subsequently confirmed killed in action.

Pattison was buried in La Chaudiere Military Cemetery at Vimy, France. His Victoria Cross was announced in the London Gazette supplement of 2 August 1917, after his death.

OFFICIAL VICTORIA CROSS CITATION

No. 808887 Pte. John George Pattison, Can. Infy.

For most conspicuous bravery in attack.

When the advance of our troops was held up by an enemy machine gun, which was inflicting severe casualties, Pte. Pattison, with utter disregard of his own safety, sprang forward and, jumping from shell-hole to shell-hole, reached cover within 30 yards of the enemy gun.

From this point, in face of heavy fire, he hurled bombs, killing and wounding some of the crew, then rushed forward, overcoming and bayonetting the surviving five gunners.

His valour and initiative undoubtedly saved the situation and made possible the further advance to the objective.

London Gazette, no. 30215, supplement dated 2 August 1917, p. 7907.