John Pattison

Who was John Pattison?

Squadron Leader John Gordon Pattison, DSO, DFC, Légion d'honneur was a New Zealand fighter pilot and squadron commander of the Second World War. At the time of his death he was one of the few surviving New Zealand veterans of the Battle of Britain.

John Gordon Pattison was born 27 January 1917 in Waipawa and educated at Wanganui Collegiate School working on his father's farm. He joined the Civil Reserve of Pilots, and learned to fly at Hawke's Bay and East Coast Aero Club. With just 20 hours of flying time when the Second World War began, he volunteered for service with the RAF the day war was declared. He completed his training and sailed for the UK.

Pattison arrived in Britain in late July 1940, attended 7 OTU and then joined No 266 Squadron based at Debden on 26 August 1940, flying Spitfires. On his first operation intercepting a force of enemy bombers he became separated from the squadron, ran out of fuel and made a wheels-up landing in a field. On 14 September he was posted to No 92 Squadron, based at Biggin Hill. On 23 September Pattison was attacked by a Bf 109 over Gravesend and received serious thigh wounds from a cannon shell, crash-landing at West Malling airfield.