Lt W.H.Paterson (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) - the first MC of the war

[davidbohl]

Not too sure if he was the first or one of the first to win the MC but this chap seems to have done more damage to himself after the war than during the war.

From the BNA 

From the London Gazette

 

[Ivor Anderson]

MIC & 1914 star entry (Ancestry):

[Ivor Anderson]

First name William (2nd poss Henry) - promoted full Lt. 8 Aug 1914: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28912/supplement/7576

Edited 30 March by Ivor Anderson

[Ivor Anderson]

William Henry Paterson - Commissioned 1 Oct 1913: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28776/page/8504

Transferred & demoted Feb 1915? https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29095/supplement/2465

  MID with 1st Gordon Highlanders 17 Feb 1915: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29072/supplement/1668

  MC must have been while with 1st Gordon Highlanders (as per newspaper report)?

Edited 30 March by Ivor Anderson
Additional Info

[Ivor Anderson]

The 1st Gordon Highlanders war diary mentions him during the all day action near Kemmel on 14th Dec 1914 (Source TNA):

Edited 30 March by Ivor Anderson
Additional Info

[davidbohl]

5 hours ago, Ivor Anderson said:

First name William (2nd poss Henry)

Good military summary Ivor, thanks

Looks like his middle name was Hausen on Scotlands People

PATERSON

WILLIAM HAUSEN

HAUSEN

M

1896

606 / 38

MONKTON AND PRESTWICK

[corisande]

1 hour ago, davidbohl said:

Looks like his middle name was Hausen on Scotlands People

How did you arrive at that conclusion?

His MIC  address of Roseneath, Malvern and his commission info of Charterhouse takes me to Charterhouse Register which gives

I would be fairly sure that is your man

 

[corisande]

Buried Great Malvern 1 Dec 1937

[corisande]

1921 census on FmP, at St Ives Hotel, Maidenhead, Berkshire,, He says he is married to Nina Muriel

 

[corisande]

His love life gets murky at this point

• This indicates he married in 1919 to Stella Garrard
• Stella is in 1939 Register at 2a Grafton Road, Cheltenham, and is widowed. She died in 1957
• there o not appear to be any children of the marriage
• 
•  
• 1921 census shows him living with Nina Muriel - an Ancestry tree indicates her maiden name was Sutherland
• There is a 1919 birth in Paddington of a child Paterson with mother Sutherland
•  
• 1930 your original clipping indicates the married the Countess in 1930 in Paris. I cannot find it

Edited 30 March by corisande

[corisande]

The Scottish connection

His sister's marriage shows that the family had 2 addresses - Monkwood, Ayrshire and Roseneath Malvern

[corisande]

Make what you can of his army record

Is "h'p" meaning "half pay" ?

[corisande]

Bingo, the Capt and the Countess. The implication from "countess" is that she was not a countess Divorce 1924

But hang on a second

 

[corisande]

I could not make this up. More from BNA. Now we have Olga

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear All and corisande,

Fascinating Post-War fun and games by a war-weary Officer with a penchant for breaking all the rules...!

Brilliantly researched. Who has his Medals, one wonders?

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[corisande]

2 minutes ago, Kimberley John Lindsay said:

. Who has his Medals,

Probably worth a fortune with this story

[corisande]

There is a full report of the 1923 divorce in the Times which includes

 

I have got so carried away by the ladies in his life that I have ignored his wartime service

You need to look at why he appears to have left the army in 1916

[corisande]

LG has

Gord. Highrs.—Lt. W. H. Paterson is placed
on the h.p. List on account of ill-health.
22nd Sept. 1916

So he left as a Lt ,not a Capt

[davidbohl]

2 hours ago, corisande said:

How did you arrive at that conclusion?

It was just a quick scout around as the paper said he was from Monkswood Ayrshire. A colourful life ensued didn't it?

 

[FROGSMILE]

2 hours ago, corisande said:

Is "h'p" meaning "half pay" ?

Yes it does, which was an administrative list of officers unemployed by the army, but liable for recall at any time.  In return they received a monthly stipend.  It was a way that the army could be increased in size very quickly.  Disbanded units usually saw the bulk of their officers placed on the half pay list and others seconded to the back of beyond somewhere in the Empire…

Its a fascinating story I agree, he seems to have been something of a bounder, if not a cad.  Clearly blessed with the wavy hair and dashing good looks of the matinee idol type that few ladies could resist.

Edited 30 March by FROGSMILE

[Ivor Anderson]

Bankruptcy 1935: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34190/page/5314

Edited 30 March by Ivor Anderson

[Ivor Anderson]

1 hour ago, corisande said:

There is a full report of the 1923 divorce in the Times

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/prison-for-italian-countess-who-defied-immigration-authorities-n506m5l7n

[FROGSMILE]

1 hour ago, corisande said:

 

So he left as a Lt ,not a Capt

If he was subsequently retired and thus left the half pay list it was usual for the final position to say something like: ‘retired and granted the honorary rank of captain’.  This was extremely common and led to a veritable army of retired ‘captains’ in the 1920s and 1930s, many of whom fell on hard times.   Some were of Paterson’s ilk, with silver spoon and a reputation for gallantry, and many more were men who had been raised up only as a result of their wartime service.  Both sorts seem to have become the constant butt of interwar authors of novels, thrillers, who-done-its, etc.  There will probably be a final LG entry for him I imagine.  Given his social background he wouldn’t have risked his reputation by calling himself captain unless it was kosher I think.  That sort of thing could ruin him and for such men the concept of honour, and being seen as a gentleman, was a big thing.

Edited 30 March by FROGSMILE

[Ivor Anderson]

2 hours ago, corisande said:

You need to look at why he appears to have left the army in 1916

He was listed as a Lt. in the GH in Oct 1917? https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discoveryui-content/view/672194:60721?tid=&pid=&queryId=6ccf9d3d-ace2-4a0b-9dcc-17c4568522a3&_phsrc=qzF16373&_phstart=successSource

And Oct 1918: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discoveryui-content/view/1609222:60721?tid=&pid=&queryId=38fae5c6-494d-4ecc-841b-34b64f16dde1&_phsrc=qzF16375&_phstart=successSource

Edited 30 March by Ivor Anderson

[corisande]

10 minutes ago, Ivor Anderson said:

And Oct 1918:

As I said earlier , he is on Half Pay

Gord. Highrs.—Lt. W. H. Paterson is placed
on the h.p. List on account of ill-health.
22nd Sept. 1916