In Kantara War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt is the Commonwealth War Grave of 104225 Driver Frank Patterson, serving with the 521st Field Company Royal Engineers who died 18/04/1919.

Peter Nicol and Peter Whittaker have submitted the following:-

Frank was born in 1887 at Long Newton, the son of John and Mary Patterson. John had been born at Bishopton and Mary at Long Newton. The 1901 Census shows Franks family living at Long Chimney House, Newbiggin where his father was a farmer aged 39 and his mother was 41. Frank, by then aged 13, had three sisters, Mary (16), Annie (15) and Meggy (12).

By 1911 Frank was employed by the Applegarth family as a horseman at Old Acres Hall in the parish of Butterwick & Old Acres. The other members of his family lived at Woodbine Cottage Farm, Newbiggin. In January 1916 Frank married Elizabeth Powell, who was born in Carlton on 18 April 1892. They had one child, a daughter named Doreen Margaret, born on 4 July 1918.

Frank enlisted in the 234th Company of the Royal Engineers on a Short Service basis For The Duration of the War on 9 August 1915. He gave his occupation as Farm Labourer and his address as Whinney Hill, Stockton on Tees. He served firstly in Mesopotamia and then, after a period of Home Service, was posted to Egypt in 1918.

On the morning of 18 April 1919 he was found dead in his tent at the 44th British Stationary Hospital at Kantara in Egypt. As the extracts from its proceedings show, a Court of Enquiry was held the following day and formally concluded that Frank had died of natural causes (acute bronco-pneumonia) and no blame attaches to anyone.

Frank was buried in Kantara Military Cemetery later on the day that the Court of Enquiry was held. Frank’s father was notified of his death by telegram on 22 April 1919, later confirmed in a formal letter from the Captain i/c R.E. Records dated 26 May 1919.

Frank did not serve abroad until 1916 and was therefore eligible to be awarded only the British War 1914-18 and Allied Victory Medals, as recorded on his Medal Index Card. His entry in the Record of Soldiers Effects shows he left a total of £26 0s 11d, including a War Gratuity of £21 10s, to his widow, Elizabeth.

The 1939 Register shows that Elizabeth was still living at Woodbine Cottage, Newbiggin, where Frank’s family had been living in 1911, as the Census for that year had recorded. Their daughter, Doreen, and Elizabeth’s brother, Henry, both single, were also living there with her at that time.

Frank Patterson is remembered in Bishopton on B142.01