Patterson, James Lawrence
2201 Lance Corporal James (Jim) Lawrence Patterson - 4th Pioneer Battalion AIF
James Lawrence Patterson was born in Morwell Victoria on the 25th April 1891 to John and Mary Patterson. He had eleven siblings, five being born in Victoria and the rest in Fremantle when the family moved to WA in 1897.
The family took up residence in Forrest Street Fremantle and James completed his schooling in Fremantle.
His father soon went to Albany to work on the Harbour but the family remained local. After leaving school James got into the construction field and prior to the Great War he was working as a bridge builder.
James had tried to enlist very early in the war but was knocked back due to defective teeth. He got his teeth fixed and on the 17th July 1915 successfully enlisted. The medical examiner recorded James's physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 9 & 3/4 inches tall;
Weight - 158lbs;
Chest Measurement - 35-37 inches;
Complexion - Fair;
Eyes - Blue;
Hair - Fair.
Upon his successful enlistment James was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned into No.17 Depot Training Company. He was taken through the basics of infantry work here for the next month.
On the 16th August 1915 James was transferred into the 4th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion AIF. He trained with this group in WA for the next several weeks. On the 1st October 1915 James and his group entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Hororata. This ship then set sail for Egypt arriving the over three weeks later.
James and his group would have been expecting to be sent on to Gallipoli but as plans were now underway to evacuate that battlefield, the reinforcements were retained in Egypt.
James served in the 7th Training Battalion up to the end of February 1916. He never actually joined the 28th Battalion. With the expansion of the Australian Imperial Force and new units being created, James found himself assigned to the 51st Battalion AIF on the 3rd March 1916. However this only lasted for a short time as on the 16th March 1916 he was transferred to the 4th Pioneer Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir Camp. James trained with this group in Egypt for the next few months. On the 4th June 1916 James and his unit left Egypt and sailed for France.
Arriving at Marseilles on the 11th June 1916, James and his unit were put onto trains and were sent north to the region of Fleurbaix, south of Armentieres. They stayed here till July 1916, when they were sent south to the Somme. James was involved in the actions at Pozieres and Mouquet Farm in August 1916 where they attempted to keep open the communication trenches amidst the heavy shellfire. He survived the Somme battles unscathed and saw out the rest of 1916. The 4th Pioneer Battalion spent the 1916/17 French Winter in the vicinity of Flers in horrendous muddy conditions which made their tasks or road and trench building a very difficult task.
The 4th Pioneers subsequently saw much work in the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line during February/March 1917 and also during April when the infantry attacked Bullecourt. In May 1917 the 4th Division changed sectors and came up to Messines in Belgium. They took part in the advance at Messines and continued to hold the line. The 4th Pioneer Battalion supported the infantry in this period by road making and improving the trenches and dugouts.
In September 1917 the 4th Pioneer Battalion moved to Ypres to take part in the current offensive taking place there. The 4th Pioneers were busy working around Ypres and up to the front line.
James survived this time unscathed and in January 1918 he was appointed to be Lance Corporal. From January to March 1918 the 4th Pioneers continued to work around Messines. On the 8th March 1918 James was sent to a Corps School, remaining there till the 19th April 1918.
When he rejoined his unit the 4th Pioneers were situated around the Hamel and Villers-Bretonneux front. They would be here for the next few months.
James unit assisted with operations during the battle of Hamel on July 4th 1918 and the August 8th advance when the Australians broke through the German front at Villers-Bretonneux.
On the 13th August 1918 James was granted a well deserved furlough to the UK. On the 26th August 1918 just as his time in England was ending James reported sick and was diagnosed with venereal disease. He was sent to the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford. He remained here until the 11th November 1918, Armistice Day.
Instead of returning to his unit in France, the medical authorities recommended that he be returned to Australia. James then waited at No.1 Command Depot Camp at Sutton Veny to be assigned a troopship home.
On the 15th January 1919 James boarded the ship City of Exeter and set sail for Australia, disembarking in Fremantle on the 20th February 1919.
James was discharged from the AIF on the 20th April 1919.
He then returned to live in Fremantle.
James married in 1925 to Alice Mary Spowart and a son James born 1925 and Vera in 1931. They were living at 146 Forrest St East Fremantle, (now 53 Forrest Street) which was Alice's family house.
By 1931 they had moved to Hamilton Road in spearwood. They lived here until the early 1950's when the family moved back to East Fremantle, residing at 47 king street. During this period of time James was working as a Watchman.
They lived there until the early 1970's
James died in East Fremantle on the 4 September 1972 aged 81. He was cremated at Fremantle Cemetery.