Private John George Pattison

Private, 50th Battalion, Infantry (Army).

Victoria Cross (Vimy Ridge)
Date of award: 1917-08-03
Date of award: 1917-08-10
Source: London Gazette 2nd Inst Auth.M.S.No.H/6226
Comment: He single handedly rushed and bombed a machine gun post holding up the advance and causin severe casualties. He then overcame and bayoneted the remaining 5 survivors.
Notes: Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Canada

The Legacy Voices 95th Anniversary of Vimy Project.VC Recipients

Son of Harry and Mary Pattison; husband of Mrs. S. L. Pattison, of Calgary, Alberta. Born September 8, 1875 in New Cross, England. He emigrated to Canada in 1906 with his wife and four children. He worked for the Calgary Gas Company before he joined the army on March 6, 1916. Private Pattison was killed making an attack on a power station near Lens, France. He is buried in the La Chaudiere Military Cemetery, France, approximately 3 kilometres south of Lens on the north-western outskirts of Vimy.

He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on 10th April 1917 at Vimy Ridge. A machine gun was holding up the advance and causing severe casualties. Pte Pattison rushed the gun and hurled bombs killing some of the crew. He then rushed the gun and and overcame and bayoneted the remaining 5 survivors. The medal is on display in the Glenbow museum, Calgary, Alberta.

The Legacy Voices 95th Anniversary of Vimy Project.

File digitized at LAC

Info from the attestation papers and tis man is on the CWGC site. Info re the Victoria Cross comes from the Wlkipedia website www.en/wilkipedia.org/wiki/John_George_Pattison.

His was one of four Victoria Crosses awarded at Vimy Ridge. The others were for: Lance Sergeant Ellis Wellwood Sifton , Major (Later Lieutenant Colonel) Thain Wendell MacDowell and Private William Johnstone Milne.