PATEY, George Edwin
| Service Number: | Officer |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 23 June 1913 |
| Last Rank: | Vice Admiral |
| Last Unit: | HMAS Australia (II) D84 - WW2 |
| Born: | Montpellier House, Plymouth, England, 24 February 1859 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Royal Naval College |
| Occupation: | Naval Officer |
| Died: | Illness, England, 5 February 1935, aged 75 years |
| Cemetery: |
Plymouth (Ford Park) Cemetery |
| Memorials: |
Non Warlike Service
| 23 Jun 1913: | Promoted Royal Australian Navy, Rear Admiral , HMAS Australia (II) D84 - WW2 |
|---|
World War 2 Service
| 23 Jun 1913: | Enlisted Royal Australian Navy, Vice Admiral |
|---|
World War 1 Service
| 28 Jul 1914: | Involvement Royal Australian Navy, Rear Admiral , Officer, HMAS Australia (II) D84 - WW2 | |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Sep 1914: | Promoted Royal Australian Navy, Vice Admiral, HMAS Australia (II) D84 - WW2 | |
| 22 Sep 1916: | Involvement Officer |
World War 2 Service
| 22 Sep 1916: | Discharged Royal Australian Navy, Vice Admiral |
|---|
Help us honour George Edwin Patey's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by John Andrewartha
Description
Admiral Sir George Edwin Patey, KCMG, KCVO, was the first Commander of Australian Fleet, from his arrival in 1913 until 1915. In his flagship, the battle-cruiser HMAS Australia, he was in charge of naval operations during the seizure of German New Guinea by the hurriedly-raised Australian Navy and Military Expeditionary Force shortly after the outbreak of war in 1914.
Biography contributed by Elizabeth Allen
George Edwin PATEY was born at Monpellier House, Plymouth, England on 24th February, 1859
His parents were George Edwin PATEY & Mary RUNDLE who married in England in 1852 (marriage registered in Stoke Damerel)
He first joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet on 15th January, 1872 aged 12 years- following his fathers footsteps
He married Mary Augusta Yorks DAVIES in England in 1902 - Children - one son & one daughter (names unknown)
In the following years he served on HMS Shah & took part in the Anglo Zulu War in 1879 and commanded HMS Barfleur in the Mediterranean during the insurrection in Crete in 1897
He was promoted to Captain in 1900 and was made Assistant Director of Naval Intelligence the following year
On 23rd June, 1913 he was promoted to Rear Admiral and was knighted by King George V on the quarterdeck of the newly commissioned battle cruiser HMAS Australia
The ship departed for Australia under his command and steamed into Sydney Harbour for the first time on 4th October, 1913, along with the Sydney, the Melbourne and several others ship of the new Australian fleet.
He had been made the first Commander of His Majestys Australian Fleet
At the outbreak of WW1 he commanded the Australian Naval Squadron as part of the New Zealand Samoa Expeditionary Force that captured german Samoa and the Australian Naval & Military Expeditionary Force that captured german New Guinea.
He saied with HMAS Australia to join the 2nd battlecruiser Squadron at Rosyth, Scotland and on 8th Feb 1915 ,HMAS Australia became the flagship of the squadron. He was appointed Commander in Chief, North America & West Indies Station from March, 1915
He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael & St George on 1st January, 1916.
On 22nd September 1916 he transferred to another ship of the Royal Navy and his command was transferred to Rear Admiral William Pakenham - He served in the Anglo Zulu War and World War 1 & retired from the Navy on 24th February, 1919 aged 60
George died on 5th February, 1935 in England and is buried in the Ford Park Cemetery in Plymouth, Devon
NEVER FORGOTTEN
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