Sapper Duncan Patterson 1006554 6th Canadian Railroad Construction Bn

 

Sapper Duncan Patterson

228^th Canadian Overseas Battalion/

6^th Canadian Railroad Construction Battalion

Regimental Number 1006554

Duncan Otto Patterson was born on July 20^th, 1896 in Dummer Township.  His parents were Thomas and Margaret Patterson.   

Duncan was living in Cobalt, Ontario and working as a baker when he enlisted there with the 228^th “Northern Fusiliers” Battalion on May 30^th, 1916.  He was nearly 30 years old at the time.  He stood 5 feet, 4 inches tall and had a fair complexion, brown eyes and brown hair.  Duncan was a Baptist, unmarried and had no previous military experience.  He passed the military examination and was declared fit for service.

Duncan was granted a week’s leave at the beginning of June, most likely to get his affairs in order, before assembling with his unit in North Bay and then travelling to the Canadian Forces Training base at Camp Borden.  It was there that he learned the basics of soldiering.  The legacy of the 228^th Battalion would revolve around its hockey team, first celebrating the fact that the Northern Fusilier’s team was invited to play in the National Hockey Association, a predecessor to N.H.L., then devolving into scandal when its commanding officer appropriated teams funds and left for England in February 1917 without paying their bills.  None of this specifically involved Patterson, though he was involved in his own type of scandal, when he received a charge of 8 days of being absent without leave in October.

Patterson left Borden with the entire 228^th Battalion in early February of 1917, travelling east to St. John, New Brunswick, and then sailing for England aboard the S.S. Missanabie on the 16^th of that month.

 The 228^th Battalion arrived safely in England on February 27^th and was sent to the Canadian camp at Purfleet for training.  They were there nearly a month before the entire unit was re-designated from an infantry unit to a construction unit now known as the 6^th Canadian Railway Construction Battalion. At this time Patterson also changed rank from Private to the equivalent rank of Sapper.  The 6^th C.R.T. then proceeded to France on April 3^rd 1917 to begin the work of building and maintaining the intricate system of railways that kept the fighting men supplied at the front.  Though the position was not one of a regular combatant, it was far from safe, as the crews of the Construction battalion came under fire regularly during their work.

Duncan Patterson circa 1976

 Sapper Patterson remained with the 6^th C.R.T. for the duration of the war, leaving his unit for only a two week leave from January 30^th to February 12^th 1918.  After the fighting ceased he was transferred back to the Railway Depot in England in early January 1919 where he remained for four months awaiting transport back to Canada.  Patterson sailed to Canada on June 18^th 1919 and was discharged from military service eleven days later in Toronto.

Sources

Canada. "Military Service File of Duncan Otto Patterson." Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa: Record Group 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 7638 - 8. Item Number 565478.