"Banjo" Patterson

[cazna]

Hi

According to the limited biographies at my disposal the famous Australian writer/poet Andrew Barton ("Banjo") Patterson served in the Boer War as a War Correspondant. He then served in WWI as an ambulance driver in France, (he would have been 51 in 1915).

I can't locate him on the Australian WWI Nominal, or Embarkation rolls.

Does anyone know if he joined the AIF, or served in the British Army?

Thanks

Duncan

[Terry_Reeves]

Duncan

He's in the nominal rolls. Ended the war as a Major.

Lt Andrew Paterson

2 Australian Remount Unit

Embarked HMAT Orsova, 10.11.15, Sydney

Also known as Banjo Paterson.

There's also a drawing of of him in Palestine at this link - he's the last one on the page.

http://www.awm.gov.au/forging/ww1/lambert.htm

Terry Reeves

[ceebee]

The embarkation role also brings up this information:

Service Number:

Rank/Calling: Mr

Unit: 1 Infantry Brigade Headquarters (October 1914)

Ship Name: HMAT Euripides

Ship Number: A14

Date of Embarkation: 20/10/1914

Place of Embarkation: Sydney

Notes: Press Representative

And here is an extract from the biography of Paterson by Clement Semmler in the Australian Dictionary of Biography Vol 11 1891-1919 Nes-Smi:

When World War 1 began, Paterson immediatley sailed for England [see embarkation role above], hoping unsuccessfully to cover the fighting in Flanders as war correspondent. He drove an ambulance attached to the Australian Voluntary Hospital, Wimereux, France, before returning to Australia early in 1915. As honorary vet (with a certificate of competency) he made three voyages with horses to Africa, China and Egypt and on 18 October was commissioned in the 2nd Remount Unit, Australian Imperial Force.

Almost immediately promoted captain, he served in the Middle East. Wounded in April 1916, he rejoined his unit in July. He was ideally suited to his duties and, promoted major, commanded the Australian Remount Squadron from October untll he returned to Australia in mid-1919.

Just as a coincidence, I drove past the Paterson's home (as listed on the embarkation role) this morning.

Chris

[ceebee]

Forgot to mention that Paterson's service record has been digitised and may be viewed on the National Archives of Australia's website (see the link here).

Chris

[cazna]

Thanks guys for the replies.

Simply a matter of spelling.

The nane on the rolls is Paterson, whereas the biographies, my school text books, and a lot of Google searches has him as Patterson.

I should have looked further.

Duncan

[DaveBrigg]

You may be interested to know that his poem 'Mulga Bill's Bicycle' is part of the GCSE English exam for one syllabus this year. It comes under the category of poetry from other cultures.

There's a copy here http://www.middlemiss.org/lit/authors/pate...try/mulgab.html

[Ozzie]

Any of Banjo's poems would have been good.

My fav, of course, those who know me will know why, is Man from Snowy River.

But the one that is recognised around the world, and was sung by troops in WW1 is Waltzing Matilda.

Cheers

Kim