Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of George PATTERSON, Melbourne and Nephew of Sir James PATTERSON (former Premier of Victoria)

Husband of Mrs. H PATTERSON

Lieutenant Colonel Patterson died whilst serving with the A.I.F. 1st Div. HQ-Australian Headquarters

Lieut.-Col. William George Patterson, who was D.A.A. and D.A.Q.M.G. in South Australia from July, 1907 to June, 1910, and who during his term in this State was a most popular military officer, died at  the Base Hospital in Melbourne on Friday after a nervous illness which developed rapidly after his return from the fighting front about two months ago. The deceased has left a wife and four children. He was born 02 September 1862 at Daylesford, and was a nephew of the late Sir James Patterson, formerly a Premier of Victoria. He joined the Victorian Mounted Rifles in 1891, as a  Lieutenant. Four years later he was made an officer of the Permanent Staff of the Victorian State forces. He gained his captaincy in 1898 and his majority in 1900. He was D.A.A. and Q.M.G. for Victoria under the Commonwealth defence regime from 1902 to 1907. During his last year in the sister  state Lieut.-Col. Patterson was sent for an instruction visit to England. He was attached to the 3rd  Brigade of Aldershot Army Corps, under Gen. French, in the Quartermaster-General's and Adjutant General's department, where he earned on the duties, of one ot the responsible officers during the  tatter's absence. While in England be attended the Schools of Signalling at Aldershot and of Musketry at Hythe, the Enfield Smallarms Factory, the School of Military Engineering, Chatham, the Woolwich Arsenal, and the Royal Clothing Factory at Pimlico. He left London for India, and repotted himself at Bombay, whence he went to Lucknow, and was attached to the 8th Division. He subsequently joined the 4th Division at Quetta, under Lient-Gen. Smith-Dorrien. With that officer he participated in a staff ride right to the borders of Afghanistan, and took part in several minor  operations in the same district. These experiences were of great service to him in connection with his subsequent work as Chief Staff Officer in Adelaide, and when he left thiB State in 1910 it was to  undertake the higher service of Staff Officer to the Inspector General of the Commonwealth Forces. He was a member of the staff of the 1st Aus tralian Imperial Force, having been appointed its D.A.A.  and Q.M.G. on August 8, 1914., He was an officer with much force of character; a kindly man and a good comrade; a stern disciplinarian, and an enthusiastic student of military requirements and  military law, and an officer who was ever ready to impart the wide knowledge he possessed to others desirous of qualifying themselves for positions of authority.