Robert Allan Patterson
1939-1945 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal (CVSM) and Clasp, 1939-45 War Medal
Royal Canadian Artillery
Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical Engineers
WW II
Allan was born 20 December 1917 to Peter and Jessie (Duncan) Patterson of the Rosebank district, north of Morden, Manitoba. They had a mixed farm at (22-4-5) in the Clegg School District in the RM of Thompson.
Allan was the eldest of three children, he had a brother Lorrie and a sister Norma. He attended the Clegg School until grade 8 after which he farmed with his father and also worked as a mechanic at Brunn’s Garage in Morden until enlisting in the army. On 22 November 1940, at the age of 23, Allan joined the Royal Winnipeg Rifles and served for approximately 30 days. On 11 January 1941 he joined the Royal Canadian Artillery (R.C.A.) at Brandon, Manitoba and was given the rank of Gunner (Private in the Artillery). On 28 April 1941 he was transferred to Fort Osborne in Winnipeg and spent several months training as a mechanic and on 07 July 1941 was transferred to the 17th Field Battery. He was subsequently transferred to Borden, Ontario and then to a school in London, Ontario and on completion was classified as an aero-engine, diesel and motor mechanic (fitter). Allan’s records indicate that upon course completion, December 1941, he was transferred to 1st Canadian Base Ground Workshop. Since he was no longer attached to the RCA his rank designation, Gunner, was now changed to Private. On 12 March 1942 he was transferred overseas to Gourock, Scotland and trained as a Motor Vehicle (MV) and Armoured Fighting Vehicle (AFV) fitter and driver. Allan served in the United Kingdom and on 13 August 1944 landed in France and served throughout North West Europe. He served at various times with elements of Royal Canadian Ordinance Corp (RCOC) and eventually as a member of the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME). After hostilities ceased in Europe, prior to his repatriation to Canada and in spite of his record, several Absent with Out Leave (AWOL) charges, Allan was asked to continue serving post war as a mechanic. He elected to take the discharge and on 13 February 1946 was released, returned to the farm and worked there with his father.
Allan was introduced to Emma Hilderman by an army buddie. She worked at the Defence Industries Limited (DIL) ammunition plant in Ajax, Ontario, filling shells. They married 15 June 1946 and continued farming. Allan and Emma had 3 children, Carol Banman, Blaine (deceased 2006) and Pat Hiebert (deceased 2012). They continued to live with Allan’s parents, sharing a 15 room house, until his father passed away 05 November 1951. Allan’s mother Jessie then moved to Winnipeg and went to work as a housekeeper, eventually moving in with her other son Lorrie and his wife Elma, until her passing 15 May 1960.
Allan served many years as a trustee for the Clegg School Division and when Clegg was consolidated with the Morden and Miami School Districts he became a school bus driver, taking the children to Morden. Emma too became school bus driver and acted as a spare.
In 1966 Allan and Emma sold the farm and bought a house on 6th Street in Morden. Emma went to work as a dietary aide for the Morden District General Hospital and Allan, missing the farm, got a job at the Morden Experimental Farm, now the Morden Research and Development Centre. During their time in Morden they enjoyed their family, friends, baseball games, curling bonspiels, deer hunting and some traveling. They were members of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 11 (Allan 25 years) and Legion Auxiliary (Emma) for many years. Emma passed away 28 August 2008.
Robert Allan Patterson passed away 29 November 1975 at 57 years of age and is buried at Hillside Cemetery in Morden, Manitoba.
Information is from Allan’s war records (Library and Archives Canada) and from Carol Banman (daughter) and Kelly Torrington (Patterson – granddaughter)