Name: Cecil George Patton Rank: Leading Aircraftman Service Number: 22023A Service: 160 (Bomber Reconnaissance) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force Date of Birth: January 7, 1919 Place of Birth: Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Gaspésie, Québec Date of Enlistment: September 28, 1939 Place of Enlistment: St. John, St. John Co., New Brunswick Address at Enlistment: 136 Carmarthen St, St. John, New Brunswick Age at Enlistment: 20 Height: 5 feet, 10 inches Complexion: Medium Eye Colour: Blue Hair Colour: Black Occupation: Clerk Marital Status: Single Religion: Church of England Next of Kin: Mr. C. Patton (Father), Upper Gagetown, Queens Co., NB Date of Death: September 10, 1943 Age: 24 Cemetery: St. John’s Anglican Church Cemetery, Gagetown, Queens Co., New Brunswick Grave: Lot 110 Commemorated on Page 202 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on April 24 Cecil George Patton was the son of Cecil Patton (1874-1959) and Elizabeth Melissa (Burke) Patton (1877- 1961), of Upper Gagetown. His siblings were Iva Margaret Patton (1908-1966), Laura Drusilla Eizabeth "Dee" Patton (1910-1994) and Private Frances Deborah Patton Lockhart (1913-1992). His sister Lance Corporal Laura Patton (Service No. W7023) served with the No. 42 Company of the Canadian Army Women’s Corps (CWAC) overseas during the Second World War, and his sister Frances Deborah Patton (Service No. W7658) served with No. 3 Vehicle Transport Section of No. 3 Company of CWAC in Ottawa, Ontario. George completed Grade 8 at school, and 2 years of bookkeeping and typing education at the Success Business College. He enjoyed reading, badminton, and softball. Prior to his enlistment for active service in the Second World War, Cecil had served with the 117 (CAC) Squadron since September 4, 1939. He noted upon enlistment, that his intention post-war was to remain in the RCAF. He was promoted to Leading Aircraftman on August 1, 1940. Cecil was transferred to RCAF Station Yarmouth in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia on March 1, 1942, and attached to 113 (Bomber Reconnaissance) Squadron, he served as an Equipment Assistant. Cecil seemed to have had a spirited personality, no different than any other 20-year-old, with a few documented instances of disciplinary action during his time in Summerside, PEI and Yarmouth, NS, including confinement to barracks and pay deductions. Cecil was confined to barracks for 4 days with 1 hour of pack drill per day for creating a disturbance at the Gateway Café at 11:10 pm on March 14, 1942, and an additional 3 days confined to barracks with the same drill routine and additional duties for failing to obey standing station orders for leaving the station without signing the gate pass book. On June 25, 1942, Cecil applied to remuster as a Wireless Air Gunner. It was noted he was physically fit, gave clear cut answers, good appearance, very eager, even temperament, and was probably suited to Student Air Gunner but that if his ‘C’ test, or classification assessment, was satisfactory. They noted he was keen to become an Air Gunner but hadn’t taken Physics and that he was a good polite young man trying to remuster for the past two years. They wrote, if his test is satisfactory, he would make a good AG.” On August 1, 1942, he transferred from 113 (BR) Squadron to the RCAF Station Yarmouth. On August 26, 1943, he found himself in a bit of mischief once more, helping himself to half a watermelon from the Airmen’s Mess refrigerator during the early hours of the morning. Continuing to serve as an Equipment Assistant at the Station, Cecil died as a result of a fall from a moving light delivery truck that was enroute from the mess to the stores building on September 9, 1943. He was standing on the back of the truck which was in motion. As the truck rounded a corner, he waved to a passerby, lost his balance, and was thrown from the truck. He suffered a fractured skull in the fall when his head struck the paved roadway. Eastern Air Command dispatched a Grumman aircraft from Dartmouth, NS, to transfer Cecil to Dorval, Quebec, for additional care due to his condition. From Dorval, he was transferred to the Montreal Neurological Institute, where he died at 5:15 pm on September 10, 1943. He was returned to New Brunswick and interred at the St. John Anglican Cemetery in Gagetown, New Brunswick. His grave inscription reads, “"Father in they gracious keeping leave we now our loved one sleeping".

Sources: Library and Archives Canada Canadian Virtual War Memorial findagrave