Patton, James
Rifleman
No. 18622, ‘B’ Company, 13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles attached
1st/1st Northumbrian Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
Killed in action on Friday 29 March 1918 (aged 25)
No known grave
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Pozieres Memorial, France (Panel 74 to 76)
Comber and District War Memorial
Andrews Mill Memorial Plaque
First Comber Presbyterian Church
BIOGRAPHY
James Patton was born on 28 April 1892 in the townland of Cattogs, Comber and he was a son of David and Jane Patton (nee Allen) who were married on 11 July 1885 in Killinchy Presbyterian Church. David Patton from Comber was a son of James Patton, a labourer. Jane Allen, a minor from Ballydrain, was a daughter of Joseph Allen, a labourer.
The Patton family lived in Crescent Row, Comber; Bridge Street, Comber; Cattogs, Comber and at 18 Brownlow Street, Comber.
David Patton worked as a general labourer and he and Jane had at least thirteen children including:
Agnes (born 1 May 1886 in Crescent, Comber)
David (born 7 March 1889 in Bridge Street, Comber)
Joseph (Joe, born 7 October 1890 in Bridge Street, Comber)
James (born 28 April 1892 in Cattogs, Comber)
Isabella Allen (born 2 September 1893 in Crescent, Comber)
Mary Jane (born 26 June 1895 in Crescent, Comber)
Sarah (born 10 March 1897 in Crescent, Comber)
Susanna (Sissy, born 18 September 1899 in Crescent, Comber)
Grace (born 29 August 1903 in Crescent, Comber)
Samuel (born 7 August 1906 in Crescent, Comber)
Prior to the outbreak of the Great War James Patton was employed as a mill worker in Andrew’s Mill, Comber. He enlisted in Comber, served with the 13th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles and was wounded on two occasions – on 26 February 1917 and on 16 August 1917 at the Battle of Langemarck. In November 1917 the 11th and 13th Battalions Royal Irish Rifles were amalgamated and then disbanded in February 1918. When James Patton recovered from his wounds he was attached to the 1st/1st Northumbrian Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps and he was killed in action in France on 29 March 1918 shortly after the commencement of the German Spring Offensive. Rifleman James Patton was 25 when he was killed and he has no known grave.
Rifleman James Patton (No. 18622) is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial in France; on Comber and District War Memorial; on the Andrews Mill Memorial Plaque and in First Comber Presbyterian Church.