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William (Bill) Patten
Able Seaman
Service no. J111506

 

Repulse telegram about the birth of my sister Audrey (45138 bytes)

The original telegraph message received on the Repulse from Malta in October 1937 which reads:
"Patten warship Repulse, daughter, mother and baby doing well. Message ends".

Able Seaman William (Bill) Patten in 1936

Navy Day Portsmouth 1938 (46740 bytes)



My father, brother and sister on Navy day in Portsmouth 1938

My father Able Seaman William ( Bill ) Patten, J111506 served on HMS Repulse on his last commission in the Royal Navy which would complete his 14 years Naval service as man and boy .
He joined Repulse at Portsmouth from HMS Victory 1 in April 1936 when she sailed for the Mediterranean for probably her last peace time commission. 
I also have a photograph taken by my father from the bridge of Repulse in a force 10 gale, on the back of the photograph my father has written " Repulse Mediterranean, October 1937 speed 1 knot ". I also have a photograph of my father timing the 6" gun on Repulse.

In March 1938 he was transferred to HMS Glasgow the light cruiser for passage back to Blighty.
He was demobbed from the Royal Navy in December 1938.
He then joined the Prison Service as a Prison Officer for the next 24 years.

John Patten

Please contact Andy (webmaster) with any information.

Andy Wade (Webmaster)

Information provided by
 John Patten (Son).

Dupree Cup Winners 1936 (click to enlarge in a new window) (70022 bytes)

 This is a picture of the Collingwood Division winning tug of war team of the Dupree Cup. The event took place at HMS Victory barracks on the 19th of March 1936 ( just a month before he joined HMS Repulse ) my father Able Seaman William Patten is standing on the back row 4th from the left. My father has written on the back of the photo "Final Thursday the 19th of March 1936, semi finals was 2 pulls to 1, winning final pull 2minutes 49 seconds".

The description on the front of the picture reads:

Dupree Cup Tug Of War Winners 1936 Collingwood Div

AB High.           AB Simpson.           AB Dennis.           AB Patten.           AB Jones.           AB Tutt.
AB Pearce.  PO Rigger Wells.  Lt Cmdr A O Watson RN.  CPO Keates.  AB Richards.  AB McClaren.
OS Leyster.                                                                                                                                  LS Edwards.
This is a picture of my Father's crossing the line" certificate from HMS Effingham on 17th April 1926. He is named as William Patten, Boy First Class. The position on the equator is given as 76 degrees 20 minutes East of Greenwich, which puts the ship about 500 Nautical miles due south, of the southern tip of India.

My Father's crossing the line" certificate from HMS Effingham on 17th April 1926 Click to enlarge in a new window (63023 bytes)
My father sailed from Portsmouth on the 27th of March 1925 on the brand new heavy cruiser HMS Effingham, my father a young boy sailor and the ship on their very first 2 year commission together to the Indian Ocean up to the Arabian Sea and round to the Bay of Bengal. My father used to show me on a map of India where the Effingham sailed and when I enquired why? He would say " just to show the flag lad, just to show the flag ". I didn't think much of to then but now I realise what a mighty Navy we had then and how the peoples of the world showed enormous respect for it. He told me that the only action he saw was in pursuit of Chinese Pirates which were operating in the Andaman Sea but,,, by the time Effingham had got there there was no sign of the Pirates and even though the Effingham did a sweep of the area there was no sign. By March 1927 the Effingham had returned to Portsmouth and my father was posted to HMS Victory 1, prior to embarking on the destroyer HMS Amazon.
This is the spare hat ribbon belonging to my father Able Seaman William Patten, service number J111506 when he was at HMS Victory 1 in his final year of service with the Royal Navy in 1938.

My Dad's HMS Victory capband (click to enlarge in a new window) (37536 bytes)

Silver Boxing Medal (click to enlarge in a new window) (21592 bytes)

This is the Silver boxing medal awarded to William Patten, service number J111506 whilst he was serving on the Battleship HMS Repulse 1936 to 1937. Repulse at that time was on sea commission in the Mediterranean. The boxing match would have been inter-ship although I do not know what other ships crews were involved in the boxing match. My father must have got to the final bout and lost it, hence the silver medal.
This is the Bronze medal awarded to 16 year old Boy Sailor William Patten, service number J111506 in January 1925 by the Royal Life Saving Society. At this time he was at HMS Ganges.

Bronze Life Saving Medal - front view (click to enlarge in a new window) (41228 bytes)

Bronze Life Saving Medal - rear view (click to enlarge in a new window) (47919 bytes)

 This is the other face of the Bronze Life Saving Medal showing my fathers name W Patten and date.
This is the Royal Life Saving Society's " silver award of merit " presented to 16 year old Boy Sailor William Patten, service number J111506 in January 1925, at this date he was at the training establishment HMS Ganges.

Silver Life Saving Medal - front view (click to enlarge in a new window) (47113 bytes)

Silver Life Saving Medal - rear view (click to enlarge in a new window) (50291 bytes)

 This is the reverse side of the Silver medal awarded to William Patten showing the year 1925.






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