 |
|
Record Detail |
|
|
| Full Name: |
John Gordon Pattison |
|
| Rank Last Held: |
Squadron Leader |
|
| Forename(s): |
John Gordon |
|
| Surname: |
Pattison |
|
| War: |
World War II, 1939-1945 |
|
| Serial No.: |
NZ39931 |
|
| Gender: |
Male |
|
| Date of Birth: |
27 January 1917 |
|
| Place of Birth: |
Waipawa, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand |
|
| Occupation before Enlistment: |
Farmer |
|
| Enlistment Address: |
Waipawa, New Zealand |
|
| Enlistment Date: |
1939 |
|
| Body on Embarkation: |
Royal New Zealand Air Force |
|
| Embarkation Date: |
June 1940 |
|
| Transport: |
Rangitata |
|
| Destination: |
United Kingdom |
|
| Other Units: |
- Royal Air Force, 485 (NZ) Squadron
- 266 Squadron
- 92 Squadron
- 66 Squadron
|
|
| Campaigns: |
- Battle of Britain
- Europe
- D-Day Landings (air support)
|
|
| Military Awards: |
- Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
- Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
- 1939-45 Star (Battle of Britain clasp)
- Air Crew Europe Star
- Defence Medal
- War Medal 1939-1945
- New Zealand War Service Medal
- Legion d'Honneur
|
|
| Award Circumstances: |
Citation for DSO: "This officer has completed a third tour of operational duty. He has displayed the highest standard of skill and courage, and throughout his devotion to duty has been unfailing. He has shown the finest qualities of leadership both in the air and on the ground, and his sterling work has contributed in good measure to the success of the squadron he commands. Within recent months, Squadron Leader Pattison has destroyed many enemy vehicles and shot down two eneny aircraft." New Zealand Gazette 17 April 1945 (Source: New Zealand and The Distinguished Service Order by J. Bryant Haigh and A.J. Polaschek, page 361) |
|
| Wounds and Diseases: |
Seriously wounded |
|
| Last Unit Served: |
Royal New Zealand Air Force, 485 (NZ) Squadron, RAF |
|
| Place of Death: |
Hastings, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand |
|
| Date of Death: |
2009 |
|
| Year of Death: |
2009 |
|
| Obituary: |
Obituary: New Zealand Herald, 15 September 2009 |
|
| Biographical Notes: |
- 28 May 1940: Pilot Officer
- 28 May 1941: Flight Lieutenant
- September 1944: Squadron Leader
- September 1944-February 1945: Commanding Officer 485 (NZ) Squadron
- 1946: retires
- Spitfire Pilot
- He was presented with the Legion d'Honneur in 2004 from President Jacques Chirac in thanks for his role in helping liberate France from the Nazis.
- 'Shortly after midnight on the day of the invasion, Mr Pattison saw a sky "black with heavy bombers going over to soften up the beach heads." He took off at first light. "There were four lanes of shipping, 100 miles of sea, and from the air it looked as though you could skip from ship to ship from South England into Normandy." Having been shot down himself - during the Battle of Britain and while flying sweeps over France - he shot down two German aircraft that day. He had thought he would be elated at shooting down an enemy aircraft but that was not the case. "After all, the young German aviators were very much akin to what we were. They were fighting for Germany, we were fighting for Britain and France and so forth." (Source: New Zealand Herald article, 7 June 2004, page A5)
|
|
| Additional Information: |
- Portraits and photograph of his medals published in Poot, E. (2009)
- Equipped with Spitfires, No. 485 was a day fighter squadron until March 1944 when it transferred to fighter bombing. Operated from England, based at some of the most famous fighter stations, until August 1944 when it moved to the Continent. There it flew in the fighter and fighter bomber role with Second Tactical Air Force. (Source: http://www.nzfpm.co.nz/squadrons/485.htm)
- Portrait in Wynn, K. (1981).
- The Battle of Britain: 10 July - 31 October 1940
|
|
| Further References: |
- Haigh, J., Polaschek, A. (compilers). (1993). p. 261
- New Zealand Herald " France to Honour Pilot", 7 June 2004, page A5
- NZEF Times V2,n62,p5, v2,n79,p2 ,v2,n93,p5 ,v4,n159,p3
- Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch: Volplane Press.
- Poot, E. (2009). Squadron Leader John Pattison. Airforce News. 2009. Issue 109, p. . RNZAF. URL: http://www.airforce.mil.nz/operations/airforce-news/109/image-gallery/wn090023037.htm
- Battle of Britain, a website. URL: http://www.raf.mod.uk/bob1940/bobhome.html
- Wynn, K. (1981). p. 321-323
- Battle of Britain Historical Society, a website. URL: http://www.battleofbritain1940.net
|
|
| Sources Used: |
- Haigh, J., and Polaschek, A. (compilers). (1993). New Zealand and the Distinguished Service Order. Christchurch, The Authors.
- Bentley, G., Conly, M. (1987). Portrait of an Air Force: the Royal New Zealand Air Force 1937-1987. Wellington, Grantham House.
- New Zealand Herald
- Wynn, K. (1981). A clasp for "The Few". Auckland, The Author.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|