Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Charles Henry and Elizabeth Patmore; husband of Helen Maria Patmore, of Camberwell, Victoria, Australia.

Aged 20 years, he migrated to Australia aboard the "Makarini", arriving in Sydney, New South Wales on 14th June 1914 and travelling on to Melbourne, Victoria.

Charles married Helen Southby, fourteen years his senior, in 1926 in Victoria. They did not have children.

The Rev. Patmore is one admirably suited to his new charge of souls.  His parish in the Diocese of Bendigo was reluctant to let him go.  However, he left the few that he might minister to the many.  Their gift to him was a beautiful set of Communion vessels, by which he will give to his new 'cure of souls' the blessed body and blood of the Lord.  Before goint into the 2nd A.I.F. he was a chaplain in a military camp.  Ask any member of his battalion what is the padre like, and the answer will be an Australian soldier's estimate of Padre Patmore.  The padrd 'won his spurs' by marching with the men on the long trek to Bonegilla.  His first assocation with the men in the Church of England but was at an early service of Holy Communion.  One solder had been on duty all night and come straight to the service to make his communion.  The padre does not believe in preaching to men - he lives with them and his sermon is his behavior.  His room is open to all and it could be written above the doorway 'Abandon rank all ye that enter here'.  He is continually on the lookout to contact his flock and when one remembers he has a Sunday congreagation of more than a thousand his task is no easy one.

Padre Patmore has a charm all of his own.  However, with the huge C of E hut now open for general use, every man in camp may share the privileges of the men of the 2/21st  - the companionship of a real padre - ie litterally "Father" who will take a paternal interest in them.

In the padre as their spiritual director, and the hut as a meeting palce the men will find a home from home.