William Paterson

Private William Paterson

M2/120950 Private

Driver attached 39th Division, Ammunition Sub Park, Army Service Corps

Age: 29

Date of Death: 22.7.17 DoW

Buried: Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery XVI.E.10A

Family history: Husband of Jeannie, they lived at 42 Glebe Street, Falkirk with their two children Jeannie and James. Prior to enlisting in the Army Service Corps on 10 September 1915, he was employed as chauffer to the owner of the Mathieson Bakery a prominent business in Falkirk.

IWM 1915 Recruitment Poster.

Ammunition Sub Parks were Mechanical Transport units of the ASC (with some gunners attached for care of ammunition) which collected ammunition from either railheads or depots/dumps and took it as far forward as the roads permitted before handing it over to the horse-drawn Divisional Ammunition Columns. They corresponded to the Supply Columns for supplies other than ammunition, which handed material over to Divisional Trains. Originally they were Line of Communication units provided on a scale of one per division. In 1916 they became Corps units, being re-structured as a Corps Ammunition Park (HQ and Corps Troops) and a sub-park for each Division in the Corps. The sub-parks corresponded to the former Lines of Communication parks. Supply Columns had a similar re-structuring. In 1918 the Divisional Supply Columns and Divisional Ammunition (sub) parks were amalgamated as Divisional Mechanical Transport Companies, but were still Corps troops. The Ammunition Sub Park was equipped with Maudsley 3-ton lorries with the capacity to transport 280 rounds of 13-pounder ammunition, 3,600 rounds of 18-pounder ammunition, and 480 rounds of 4.5-inch howitzer ammunition. They could also transport 960,000 rounds of small arms ammunition.

IWM Q 7064 A convoy of British Maudslay 3-ton lorries parked up alongside the wreckage of German motor transport

The action leading to his death

William was a very good light car driver, according to his army record. On the night of 12/13 July 1917, William was in a convoy which was heavily shelled. He went to the aid of a lorry in which both drivers had become wounded. He drove the truck clear and in doing so was to die of wounds received in action on 22 July. His commanding officer wrote to his wife that had William lived 'he would have been recommended for the Military Medal.'

Headstone

Private William Paterson. Authors image

Medals Awarded:

The British War Medal, Victory Medal.

Medal Index Card Private William Paterson