| Rank | Private |
| Service # | 189803 |
| Unit # | 91st. Battalion, 186th Battalion, 2nd Battalion Working Party, 18th Battalion |
| Resident | Bothwell |
Pte. William Albert Patterson transferred from the 91st to the 186th Battalion in March 1916, proceeding overseas March 26th, 1917. There he trained at Bramshott Camp until June 16th, 1917, when he crossed to France having volunteered for a draft that was being sent to Etaples to the 2nd Batt Working Party. He remained with that unit until after Hill 70 when he was sent to join the 18th Batt where he remained about a week. Then was sent to 2nd Div Bombing School and remained there about 3 weeks.
The following was taken from a letter to Mrs Daniel Patterson from her son Albert and printed in the Bothwell Times of 13/09/1917.
“in action in France”:
There is something I forgot about. If you get those tulip flowers that I sent from and old battlefield to you I got them on the field where Keneth Parker was killed – just near his grave. I picked a large bunch of flowers and put them on his grave and put a white chalk stones all around it. He was buried with a large bunch of Canadians. That was where I was when I got a box from home.
Your son Albert.
Note: Pte. Kerneith Lee Parker 124514 serving with the 2nd Bn. Was KIA 11/04/1917. He was killed during the capture of Hill 145 at Vimy Ridge.
He got his first trip up the line on the old Vimy front, then he returned to the 18th Battalion – which was then working on the right of Arras – and remained with them until May 29th, 1918 when he was injured and sent to hospital at Chichester, Sussex. From there he went to Epsom Con Hos then back to Whitley Camp, thence to Bexhill-on-sea and was there when the Armistice was signed.
He embarked for Canada Feb. 1919.
The Bothwell Times of 13th Feb. 1919 reported that William along with Cpl. Albert Little arrived home in Bothwell to “a rousing welcome by the reception committee and a large throng of relatives and friends. Both looked well considering the many months of hardship they have weathered in the trenches in defence of liberty”. Pte. Patterson was reported discharged 24/02/1919. IODE(P), BT13/09/17 and 13/02/19.
Discharged at London Feb 24th, 1919 due to demobilization.
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