Aircraftman First Class Paul Allan Patterson

Paul Allan Patterson was born at Glenelm, Quebec, on 17 May 1923. His parents were Frederick Patterson, a carpenter, and Hazel Ann Patterson, whose maiden name was Courtney. He attended Victoria School at Glenelm and Huntingdon Academy, completing two-and-a-half years of high school. A student when he enlisted, he enjoyed model aircraft, stamp collecting and sports. Patterson joined the Royal Canadian Air Force at Montreal on 24 January 1942, service number R154261. He entered General Duties as an Aircraftman Second Class and served at No. 5 Manning Depot in Lachine and No. 1 Wireless School in Montreal. Keen to become an Air Gunner, he undertook training at No. 6 Bombing and Gunnery School at Mountain View, Ontario, reaching Leading Aircraftman. His air-gunner course ended after he failed its first stage in August 1942. Following reselection at Trenton, he returned to ground service. At No. 5 Initial Training School in Belleville, he remustered as a Postal Clerk. He left Canada in January 1943 and arrived in Britain on 4 February. Posted to RCAF Overseas Headquarters and its postal organization, he worked at the Canadian Base Post Office in Manchester. He became an Aircraftman First Class on 1 April 1943. Later that month he was hospitalized at Davyhulme with pneumonia. During convalescence he developed a serious psychiatric illness and was transferred to Basingstoke and then Banstead for treatment. He returned to Canada aboard the hospital ship Atlantis in August 1943 and was admitted directly to Ste. Anne's Military Hospital in Quebec. Patterson was medically discharged at Montreal on 29 October 1943 as an Aircraftman First Class, Postal Clerk. His conduct was assessed as Good and his trade qualifications as Satisfactory. His credited service totalled 644 days, including 207 overseas. A later Statement of Service confirmed entitlement to the Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp and War Medal 1939–45. He gave Glenelm as his address on discharge and later requested gratuity payments at 21 Henderson Street in Huntingdon. His war-service gratuity was $232.22. He died at Ormstown, Quebec, on 12 February 1992, aged 68.

1923-05-17 — Born at Glenelm, Quebec, to Frederick and Hazel Patterson
1930 to 1938 — Attended Victoria School through Grade 7; Glenelm, Quebec.
1938 to 1941-12 — Attended Huntingdon Academy, completing two-and-a-half years of high school; principal certified schooling on 5 January 1942; Huntingdon, Quebec.
1941 to 1942 — School cadet experience recorded in later medical history; no previous formal military service declared
1942-01-06 — Signed RCAF application; student, interested in model aircraft, numerous sports and flying duties; application amended to General Duties; Glenelm, Quebec.
1942-01-09 — Recruit medical examination: height 66 inches, weight 120 pounds, chest 32.5 inches at expiration with 1.5-inch expansion; acute rhinitis required treatment before acceptance; Montreal, Quebec.
1942-01-20 — Nasopharynx healthy after treatment; fit in category A4B; chest X-ray negative; Montreal, Quebec.
1942-01-23 — Interview found him suitable for Standard General Duties; Montreal, Quebec.
1942-01-24 — Attested at No. 13 Recruiting Centre as Aircraftman Second Class, R154261, RCAF Special Reserve; accepted for the duration and posted to No. 5 Manning Depot; Montreal, Quebec; Lachine, Quebec.
1942-01-26 — Declared single with no children or other supported dependants; father Frederick, carpenter, initially next of kin; mother Hazel Courtney; both parents born at Athelstan; Glenelm, Quebec.
1942-01-26 — Dental examination: good oral hygiene; prophylaxis required; No. 5 Manning Depot, Lachine, Quebec.
1942-01-26 to 1942-03-09 — Smallpox vaccination, Schick/Dick tests, diphtheria toxoid and three T.A.B.T. inoculations recorded; No. 5 Manning Depot, Lachine, Quebec.
1942-02-02 to 1942-02-09 — Seven days' leave entered in one service statement; another copy instead gives 2–9 September
1942-04-07 — Taken on strength of No. 1 Wireless School after No. 5 Manning Depot SOS 6 April; Montreal, Quebec.
1942-04-24 — Promoted Aircraftman First Class; No. 1 Wireless School, Montreal, Quebec.
1942-05-26 — Certified as having completed musketry training at No. 1 Wireless School; certificate heading uses LAC although formal promotion later dated 6 July; Montreal, Quebec.
1942-06-16 to 1942-06-18 — Aircrew medical examination and interviews supported remustering to Air Gunner; described as keen and conscientious; medical approval followed; Montreal, Quebec.
1942-06-16 — Family medical history recorded one living brother and three living sisters; interests included stamp collecting, tennis and rugby; Montreal, Quebec.
1942-07-04 — Remustered to General Duties under training as Air Gunner and transferred from No. 1 Wireless School; Montreal, Quebec.
1942-07-05 — Taken on strength of No. 6 Bombing and Gunnery School; Mountain View, Ontario.
1942-07-06 — Promoted Leading Aircraftman; began Air Gunner Course No. 35B; Mountain View, Ontario.
1942-08-19 — Air-gunner training discontinued after Stage I failure: 583/1,050, 55.52 percent, 21st of 29, four subjects failed; no Stage II flying results; posted to Composite Training School; Trenton, Ontario.
1942-08-20 — Composite / KTS Trenton TOS entered on service statement; Trenton, Ontario.
1942-08-31 — Reselection Board selected ground service; returned to Aircraftman First Class, General Duties; wished to serve actively and expressed interest in Navy; Trenton, Ontario.
1942-09-02 to 1942-09-09 — Seven days' leave entered in another service record; duplicated interval read as February elsewhere; Trenton, Ontario.
1942-10-01 — Taken on strength of No. 5 Initial Training School after Trenton SOS 30 September; Belleville, Ontario.
1942-10-17 — Remustered Aircraftman Second Class, Postal Clerk (standard); one copy gives 14 October; Belleville, Ontario.
1942-12-09 to 1942-12-12 — Granted annual leave with ration allowance; Belleville, Ontario.
1942-12-31 to 1943-01-05 — Five days' New Year leave entered; Belleville, Ontario.
1943-01-01 — Postal-clerk trade entry recorded; Belleville, Ontario.
1943-01-09 — Medical entry recorded fit for overseas service; Belleville, Ontario.
1943-01-09 to 1943-01-24 — Embarkation leave recorded; service statement describes 14 days; Halifax, Nova Scotia.
1943-01-12 — Taken on strength of No. 1 Y Depot after Belleville SOS 11 January; Halifax, Nova Scotia.
1943-01-24 — Signed embarkation statement naming mother Hazel Ann Patterson legal next of kin and casualty contact; father Fred also living at home; single; Glenelm, Quebec.
1943-01-25 — Transferred from Y Depot to overseas / RAF trainees establishment; overseas qualifying-service period begins; Halifax, Nova Scotia.
1943-01-26 — Embarked from Canada; some summaries instead label embarkation 25 January
1943-02-04 — Disembarked in the United Kingdom
1943-02-05 — Posted to No. 1 Personnel Despatch Centre; another summary calls it Personnel Reception Centre; United Kingdom.
1943-02-15 — Posted to RCAF Overseas Headquarters as Postal Clerk; London, England.
1943-02-17 — Detached to RCAF Section, C.O.P.D.; later correspondence identifies Canadian Base Post Office strength; postal work performed in Manchester; Manchester, England.
1943-03-15 — Postal Clerk C test entry records 57 percent; later pass entry gives 50 percent on 1 April; United Kingdom.
1943-04-01 — Promoted Aircraftman First Class and classified Clerk Postal C; proposed LAC on recommendation was corrected to AC1; United Kingdom.
1943-04-23 — Reported persistent productive cough and loss of weight; Manchester, England.
1943-04-26 to 1943-05-17 — Admitted to Davyhulme Military Hospital with left-mid-zone pneumonia; some histories give 27 April admission; pneumonia improved by 8 May; Davyhulme, near Manchester, England.
1943-05-14 — Developed acute psychiatric symptoms while convalescing after pneumonia; further psychiatric observation arranged; Davyhulme, England.
1943-05-17 — Transferred to Basingstoke Neurological and Plastic Surgery Hospital; diagnosis recorded as toxic psychosis / delirium; Basingstoke, England.
1943-05-24 — Medical Board classified him Category E and recommended psychiatric treatment and observation before repatriation; possible post-infective / drug-related cause considered; Basingstoke, England.
1943-05-26 — Transferred to Banstead Military Hospital; condition unchanged at transfer; Banstead, England.
1943-06-03 to 1943-06-10 — RCAF Overseas Headquarters requested repatriation with an Army draft on a hospital ship after medical-board review; London, England.
1943-07-03 — RCAF Headquarters instructed Rockcliffe Repatriation Pool to arrange medical re-examination after arrival; Ottawa, Ontario.
1943-08-08 — Banstead hospital record entered repatriation/discharge; attachment to RCAF Section C.O.P.D. ceased; copied service order for hospital discharge later annotated cancelled; Banstead, England.
1943-08-11 — Struck off overseas strength and repatriated to Canada aboard hospital ship Atlantis; United Kingdom to Canada.
1943-08-19 — Disembarked in Canada; administratively taken on strength of No. 1 Repatriation Depot, Rockcliffe, but never physically reported there; Canada; Rockcliffe, Ontario.
1943-08-20 — Admitted directly to Ste. Anne's Military Hospital on return from overseas; Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec.
1943-09-02 to 1943-09-18 — Further psychiatric assessment at Ste. Anne's; clinicians considered differing diagnoses and requested overseas medical records; Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec.
1943-09-07 — Chest X-ray negative; Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec.
1943-09-16 to 1943-09-25 — Medical-board documentation recorded post-infectious toxic psychosis; board at No. 5 Manning Depot recommended discharge to Department of Pensions and National Health supervision; Lachine, Quebec.
1943-10-04 — Air Force Headquarters approved discharge medical category; handwritten category variously read APBP / AFBP; Ottawa, Ontario.
1943-10-05 — Non-effective posting to No. 5 Manning Depot recommended while hospitalized; discharge dental requirements recorded at that depot; Lachine, Quebec.
1943-10-15 — Originally posted administratively to No. 5 Manning Depot; later amended to No. 3 Training Command Headquarters, effective same date; remained hospitalized; Montreal, Quebec.
1943-10-19 to 1943-10-21 — Headquarters amended posting to No. 3 Training Command and authorized medical discharge under K.R. (Air) 195(12); Montreal, Quebec.
1943-10-22 — Repatriation Depot reported clothing and dental records missing from overseas; temporary medical record sent to No. 3 Training Command; Rockcliffe, Ontario.
1943-10-26 to 1943-10-27 — Returned issued jacket, trousers and coat while hospitalized at Ste. Anne's; remaining kit lost in transit from overseas; Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec.
1943-10-28 — Final medical examination and board documentation recorded
1943-10-29 — Medically discharged as Aircraftman First Class, Postal Clerk, under K.R. (Air) 195(12); unfit for any form of Air Force service; conduct Good and trade proficiency Satisfactory; Montreal, Quebec.
1943-10-29 — Release address Glenelm; credited 644 qualifying service days and 207 overseas days; $100 clothing allowance and rehabilitation grant authorized; Glenelm, Quebec.
1943-11-02 — Discharge promulgated in unit orders of No. 3 Training Command Administrative Unit; Montreal, Quebec.
1944-01-08 — Signed war-service gratuity application requesting payment to 21 Henderson Street; Huntingdon, Quebec.
1944-01-20 — RCAF forwarded September 1943 medical-board proceedings to Canadian Pensions Commission; Ottawa, Ontario.
1944-02-05 — Original will and baptism-registry extract returned; Glenelm, Quebec.
1944-05-04 — Correspondence identified him as an ex-airman; Montreal, Quebec.
1945-01-24 to 1945-02-01 — Dependants' allowance inquiry and treasury reply recorded nil allowance and nil recoverable overpayment
1945-02-02 — War-service gratuity $232.22: $157.50 total-service component, $51.75 overseas component and $22.97 supplement; three stated $77.40 instalments; 21 Henderson Street, Huntingdon, Quebec.
1946-09-25 — Service-history letter supplied to Civil Service Commission; referenced inquiry is dated 26 September, a one-day inconsistency; Ottawa, Ontario.
1963-10-09 — Statement of Service confirmed Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp and War Medal 1939–45; awards-request card associated with Huntingdon; Huntingdon, Quebec.
1992-02-12 — Died at Ormstown, Quebec, aged 68