Robert John (Jack) PATTERSON

PATTERSON, Robert John

Service Number: NX10075
Enlisted: 11 March 1940
Last Rank: Sergeant
Last Unit: 2nd/32nd Infantry Battalion
Born: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 31 October 1905
Home Town: Not yet discovered
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Foreman mechanic
Died: Died of wounds, At sea (Nino Bixio), Mediterranean Sea, 5 September 1942, aged 36 years
Cemetery: Phaleron War Cemetery, Athens, Greece
7. D. 1-10
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial
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World War 2 Service

3 Sep 1939: Involvement Sergeant, NX10075
11 Mar 1940: Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Sergeant, NX10075, 2nd/32nd Infantry Battalion
11 Jul 1940: Promoted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Corporal
18 Jul 1940: Promoted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Sergeant
30 Aug 1942: Imprisoned Libya/North Africa, Missing assumed POW on 22 July 1942

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Biography contributed by Cherilyn McMeekin

Robert's birth was registered in 1906 in Marrickville (reg. 5119). He was the eldest son of Robert and Winifred, and second of their four children. He was known by his middle name and his nickname was Jack.

In 1929, he married Jean Louise WAND in Sydney. They lived in Kirribilli, later moving to Kogarah.

He was a POW on board the Italian transport ship Nino Bixio when it was torpedoed by a British submarine in the Mediterranean on 17 August 1942. The Nino Bixio was transporting Allied POWs from Libya to Italy. He initially survived the incident but died of his wounds on a raft (according to Rats of Tobruk Roll of Honour). 

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