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Hugh was born in Glasgow, Scotland on the 17th May 1914 to Helen Paton. With the death of his father, Helen chose to bring her small family of two daughters, Helen and Lucinda Couper and a second son George to Australia, arriving in 1925. They immediately settled in the Renmark area of Alma, a farming area between the Wakefield and Light Rivers.
As a child, Hugh attended the local Renmark Public School where both he and younger brother George were amongst the high achieving students. Because of his background, he was affectionately known as ‘Scotty’. Hugh was a member of the local Scout Group which had a series of activities organised, including a treasure hunt for oranges, which was not so well planned as it was near a bull-ant nest, causing some severe bites. A further activity, called a snake hunt, was reported as being ‘in a miniature lake, but .the snake came off best.’ Later, Hugh proved to be successful in a boxing contest, a popular activity at the time. As a sixteen-year-old Hugh worked as an assistant at the local Renmark Butchery and Bakery Company where Occupational Health and Safety was less of a focus. Unfortunately, Hugh’s finger caught in a machine one morning and the local Murray Pioneer newspaper reported that ‘He was taken to the Renmark Hospital and an anaesthetic administered while the finger-nail was taken off.’
Just two days after Hugh’s 25th birthday his 64-year-old mother, having been unwell died in hospital. She was buried in the Renmark Cemetery.
Hugh married Nellie Robertson from Port Wakefield with the two having a son, Clyde. Nellie’s father, Edward Emanuel, a 44 year old labourer, was an early enlistee to serve in WWII on the 4th June 1940. He was given the number SX4394 and allocated to the 8th Division Salvage Unit which sailed to Singapore, arriving in August.
By this time 26-year-old Hugh, a plumber, enlisted on the 1st July ’41, being allocated the number SX7328 in the 2/48th Battalion. (The following year, his younger brother, George also enlisted in March ’41 as NX71430 in the Field Company Engineers. He served overseas in Borneo and was eventually discharged in January ’46. Both brothers were, almost inevitably, nick-named ‘Scotty’.) Nellie’s two brothers-in-law had also enlisted in the armed forces and her brother in the Navy.
By August’41 Hugh, then Corporal ‘Scotty’ Paton of 5 Section, had already become one of the highly regarded members of the 8 Platoon alongside Corporal Tom ‘Diver’ Derrick and Corporal Norm Badman. A school-teacher in civilian life, Ivor Paech SX7138 who rose to become Captain in the 2/48th kept a diary which in later years, his grandson, Darren published as ‘Adelaide to Alamein’). It gives a wry but exceptionally honest account of life for the battalion as they survived and fought in Tobruk.
On Monday 15 Sept 1941 Ivor wrote “After the usual ‘stand to’ had been completed, most men went back to have another hour’s rest. A little later I saw Corporal Scotty Paton boiling the billy, so I had a yarn to him. I turned to go for my mug to have a shave, when I heard a swish, bang and by that time I was on the bottom of the trench minus my steel helmet which was blown off. Immediately I yelled for Scotty, not dreaming that I would get a reply, and was never more pleased to hear him say “I’m okay, she’s sweet.”
“Neither he, nor I, will ever know how we escaped, for the shell landed only a foot away from the fire, putting it out and filling the billy with mud. The only solution to the problem is that the shell landed on a very soft patch where we had previously buried tins, and the blast went upwards. Scotty said the shell could not have ‘Paton’ or ‘Paech’ written on it.”
By February ’42 Hugh’s family received news that Nellie’s father was reported missing in Malaya and in April ’43 was reported as being a prisoner of war in Borneo. At the time, little more was known of his war, survival or conditions under which he was held.
In the Middle East, Hugh continued to be reasonably fortunate in surviving, especially as the borders between the opposing forces were quite fluid. ‘Diver’ Derrick, who also kept a brief diary, on the12 October ’42 wrote:
“Taking out an O.P. party to W24 at 0400. Met a party of 20 went to ground & let them come on, we were 4 strong & I wasn’t feeling too sure of things, - challenged with our patrol challenge but got no correct reply, was about to open up when I heard Cpl Paton’s voice – what a relief.” It must also have been a relief for Hugh that Derrick was not ‘trigger-happy’.
Later that month, John G. Glenn in ‘Tobruk to Tarakan’ recorded an incident that happened just prior to Hugh being wounded:
“It was just after dusk when we heard the purr of one of our jeeps. This caused some speculation. It could be Jerry or one of our chaps who’d got lost. We were ordered to hold our fire until we were sure it was not one of our own. The jeep came in, followed our wire, ducked into the gap, and drove right up to our section and pulled up. All three men in the jeep were clearly silhouetted against the skyline. In the section nearby were Lieutenant McLellan, Scotty Paton, Mick Salter, Geoff Gardner, Johnny Ralla, Wally Fennell and Erin Starkey, all of whom, with the exception of one man, were to become casualties during the next three days fighting.” It transpired the jeep was German, containing officers who had previously been at Trig 29 and believed it was still in their hands!
Unfortunately, soon after during the fierce fighting at El Alamein, Hugh was wounded in action on the 26th October ’42. Johnny Ralla was also wounded and described the injuries to his leg: “My left leg was at right angles to my body and blood was gushing from a wound in the groin. Wally Fennell came back holding the side of his head. Sergeant Derrick had been hit…” At the time, a massive assault to ambitiously take the strategic position of Trig 29 was underway. Conditions at the time were ever-changing and the fighting continuous. Montgomery had ordered the 9th Battalion to attack northward.
John Glenn described the carnage caused by the chance hit from an enemy shell on a truck loaded with mines.
‘An ear shattering explosion dwarfed the sound of the guns into insignificance. Seven other trucks, all ladened with mines, had been set off. The whole area became a ghastly raging inferno. As trucks burned and exploded a great wall of fire shot into the sky. The gun flashes seemed dimmed; night was turned into day. The concussion was terrific. He added:
‘The attack continued, however, without pause…it was only after hard fighting, with heavy casualties on both sides, that they were able to consolidate on their objective. The troops had never been more tired.. The 2/48th had stirred up a real hornets’ nest; from first light until nine o’clock the enemy turned all their fury on the Trig area, with particularly heavy fire on 29 itself, hiding the position in a cloud of dust and smoke.’ A comment was later made about the heavy casualties. On that night alone 9 of the Battalion were killed and 20 wounded in action. Of these 16 were from South Australia and the remainder from Western Australia.
The subsequent action between October 25th and 26th meant that the survivors of the horrific explosion and ensuing fighting were not always able to immediately retrieve their fallen men. Kenneth Slessor, the Official War Correspondent also wrote an article which was reproduced in several newspapers. This detailed the battle of El Alamein at the end of October. Referring to the outstanding work of the 2/48th Battalion on that occasion, Slessor wrote: ‘Australia is far away over the rim of the world, and no one comes near the wooden crosses painted with their names except the wandering Bedouin and the little lizards of the desert.
‘But their battalion is rich in its pride and in its memories. They will never be forgotten. From the stories of their mates, those reluctant-tongued soldiers who fixed bayonets with them in the great offensive which drove Rommel from Egypt, come portraits of these men in action which no other source could furnish.’
The 10 November issue of the Advertiser also reported that ‘Mrs. Paton, of Bolingbroke grove Toorak Gardens, has been advised that her husband, Cpl. Hugh Paton, has been wounded in action in Egypt. Cpl. Paton enlisted from Alma in June, 1940 and went overseas in November of the same year. He served in Tobruk. Syria, and Palestine.
Two days later, the Chronicle carried the names of those in the 2/48th who had been injured or killed. They included: Died Of Wounds.—SX6893 Pte. Leslie C. Cutchie, Brompton Park; Wounded In Action.— SX9327 Lt. Thomas H. Bowman, SX7093 Cpl. Norman L. Badman, Pinnaroo; SX11069 Pte. Stanley J. Crowell, Price; SX9093 SX715O L/Cpl. Geoffrey Gardner, Bordertown; SX 12741 Pte. Jack Hoey, Kadina, Pte. Ross. E. Hoskin, Kilkenny; SX11135 Pte, James N. Jarvis, Kent Town; SX8268 Cp! William K Mackay, Snowtown; SX7669 Pte. William Miller, Booleroo Centre; SX11753 Pte. Terrence C. O'Connor, Adelaide:: SX7328 Cpl. Hugh Paton, Alma: SX13763 Pte. Eric. K. Reynolds, Novar Gardens;- SX5991 Pte. Stanley G. Smith: Croydon Park; SX7311 Pte. Rayner R. Stagg, Tarcowie; SX8539 Pte. Edward. J. Young, Morgan Dangerously Wounded.—SX13191 Pte. William R. Bowd, Dartmoor.
Early in November, the local Upper Murray and Mitta Herald advised that ‘News has been received that Cpl. H.Paton,- A.I.F., was wounded in action in the Middle East.’ The following day the NSW Henty Observer and Culcairn Shire Register carried a report about Hugh’s brother, Roy. ‘Advice has been received that Cor poral A. R. (Roy) Paton, A.I.F., was wounded in action in the Middle East recently. Corporal Paton is well known in Kenty and district, having owned the property known as 'Dunoon,' at Culcairn, for several years.’
Hugh ended the war in the Australian base postal unit before finally being discharged on the 20th September ’45. That year, Hugh’s mother-in-law, Emily Robertson received a ‘standard’ third card from her husband. Pte. E. E. Robertson, in January saying that he was in good health and looking forward to an early reunion but had not received any mall from home. A second card arrived in October saying that he was well. Cruelly, by November the Advertiser carried the news that ‘Mrs. E. Robertson, of Port Wakefield, has received official advice that her husband, Pte. E. E. Robertson, Salvage unit, died on May 23 at Sandakan POW camp, Borneo. He has left a widow, three daughters, one son in the R.A.N. and five grandchildren.’ Ostensibly, Edward’s death was attributed to malaria. Later, conditions in the Camp gave a more accurate picture of the treatment of POWs.
Each year Nell, Hugh and Clyde remembered Edward (Ted) who was later respectfully buried in the Labuan War Cemetery
Advertiser Thursday 23 May 1946, ROBERTSON.—In loving memory of our dear father and grandad, who died Sandakan P.O.W. Camp, May 23, 1945.— Sadly missed and ever remembered by Neil, Hughie and Clyde.
Advertiser Friday 23 May 1947, ROBERTSON.—In loving memory of our dear dad and granddad, died P.O.W. Sandakan, May 23, 1945. Not only today but every day, we remember him. Nell, Hugh and Clyde.
Advertiser, Tuesday 24 May 1949, ROBERTSON, Private E.—ln loving memory of our dear father and grandfather, died Sandakan, May 23, 1945. —Ever remembered by Nell, Hugh, Clyde Paton.
Advertiser Tuesday 23 May 1950, ROBERTSON. Pte. E. E.— In loving memory of our dear father and grandfather passed away at Sandakan May 23 1945. — Always remembered by Nell. Hugh and Clyde.
Hugh’s fellow ‘Rats of Tobruk’ and soldiers of the proud 2/48th Battalion, Hugh Frank Lowe SX13701 and Michael Salter SX8054, also continued to remember their mates with whom they had shared so much and who had made the supreme sacrifice.
Advertiser Friday 22 October 1948, 2/48TH BATTALION.—In memory of our mates, who fell at El Alamein, 1942. "We will remember them." — Inserted by Frank Lowe, Hugh Paton and Mick Salter.
Advertiser Monday 24 October 1949, ALAMEIN.—Sacred to the memory of those who gave their lives in the Western Desert and particularly those who fell in the fighting between July and November. 1942. 2/48 Bn.—ln loving memory or our mates who made the supreme sacrifice El Alamein. October, 1942 We still remember them —Inserted by Hugh Paton. Mick Salter. Frank Lowe.

Aged 47 Hugh died on the 8th May 1961 at Woodville. He now rests in the Derrick Gardens at Centennial Park Cemetery Path 19 Grave 533.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.