Notification of Death of an ex-soldier -
PATTERSON. In loving memory of my dear husband William. Murdered at Belfast 19 May 1922.
Notification of Death of an Ex-Soldier -
William PATTERSON. Sapper 64631 Royal Engineers. 36th (Ulster) Division. Died 19 May 1922 at the Mater Hospital, Belfast. He died from a gunshot wound to his liver, shock and haemorrhage. His next of kin was his wife Mrs Jane Patterson, nee Buchanan of 16 Frazer Street, Belfast. The informant of his death to the (Army) Pension Issue Office Acton, London was his brother Thomas Patterson. 4 Coniston Street, Belfast.
Born 4 October 1883 to William and Agnes Patterson, nee McFetridge of 2 Stanley Lane, Belfast, father’s occupation, cooper. 1901 census he was living at 10 Harrisburg Street with his Grandfather. 15 May 1903 he married Jane Buchanan at Trinity Church, Belfast City. He was residing at 10 Harrisburg Street, Belfast, occupation, cooper. 1914 residing with his family at 76 Fraser Street, Belfast. Enlisted 12 April 1914 aged 32 and 7 months into the Royal Engineers and posted the Royal Engineers Depot, Chatham, Kent as Sapper 64631 Royal Engineers. 36th (Ulster) Division. After he had completed his training, he was posted to join the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) France on the 4 October 1915. 13 April 1917 he was admitted into 3rd Canadian General Hospital suffering from rheumatic fever. invalided to England 29 April, admitted into Fort Pitt Hospital Military, Chatham, Kent 30th and was discharged fit for duty on the 1 May 1917.
29 March 1918, he returned to France and posted to No 4 General Base Depot Royal Engineers, Rouen, France to await deployment. 16 April 1918 he joined 126th Field Coy, 21 Division.
August 1918 he was poisoned from a mustard gas shell explosion and was treated at 63 Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps with the 21st Division. He was invalided to England and admitted into Military Hospital, Berridge Road, Nottinghamshire 21 August 1918 (This hospital was formerly a school) and discharged 15 October 1918 to Crowborough military convalescent hospital, Epsom. 21 March 1919 aged 37 he was discharged from the army to Class Z, with medical pension. His disability was rheumatic fever and suffering from the effects of mustard gas poisoning. On leaving the army he returned to civilian occupation as a cooper at William Garrett cooperage, Little Patrick Street, Belfast.
His murder -
19 May 1922, he was working along with 4 others at his place of employment, William Garret’s cooperage in Little Patrick Street. At 3pm 9 armed gunmen entered the premises and ordered the men, to stand against a wall. They were asked who were ‘mickies’ (catholics). One man identified himself and he was freed and allowed to leave and the others were gunned down as they stood against the wall, killing one instantly, Thomas Boyd, Patterson, Murphy and Maxwell were previously wounded and conveyed to the Mater Hospital, Belfast where all died shortly after admission. They gunmen were never found.
This was a reprisal shooting for the murder of four catholic males from the same family a few night prior by ex-soldiers and UVF in the Tit-for-Tat War in Independence in the Northern Counties
https://www.historicalbelfast.com/p...h-ulster-division-soldier-murdered-by-the-ira
At rest in Dundonald Cemetery, Dundonald, Belfast.
