Squadron Leader John Gordon Pattison, DSO, DFC (27 January 1917 – 11 September 2009) was a New Zealand fighter pilot and squadron commander of the Second World War.
Born in Waipawa, New Zealand, Pattison joined the RNZAF on the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. After completing flight training he was sent to the United Kingdom to serve with the Royal Air Force. He flew Supermarine Spitfires with Nos. 266 and 92 Squadrons during the Battle of Britain and later flew with No. 485 (NZ) Squadron. After a period of service on instructing duties from mid-1943 to mid-1944, he flew with No. 66 Squadron before being appointed commander of No. 485 (NZ) Squadron. He led the unit, part of the 2nd Tactical Air Force, on operations in France, Belgium and Holland from September 1944 to February 1945 and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his service during this time. After the war, he returned to New Zealand and took up farming. In 2004, he was awarded the Légion d'honneur by the French government, in recognition of his services in the Normandy landings. He died in 2009, aged 92. At the time of his death he was one of the last surviving New Zealand fighter pilots of the Battle of Britain.
Early life
John Gordon Pattison, the son of Charles Pattison, a farmer, was born 27 January 1917 in Waipawa, in the Hawke's Bay region, and was educated at schools in Havelock North before going on to Wanganui Collegiate School for three years from 1931. After completing his education, he worked on his father's farm. He joined the Civil Reserve of Pilots in January 1939, and learned to fly Tiger Moths at Hastings.
Second World War
Having accumulated 20 hours of flying time by the time of the outbreak of the Second World War, Pattison volunteered for service with the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). His training commenced on 26 October at Weraroa and he proceeded on to No. 2 Elementary Flight Training School at New Plymouth, flying Tiger Moths. This was followed with further training on Vickers Vildebeests and Fairey Gordons at No. 2 Flight Training School at RNZAF Base Woodbourne. His training was completed in late May 1940, when having gained his flying badge the previous month, he was commissioned as a pilot officer.
Battle of Britain
Pattison was sent to England to serve with the Royal Air Force (RAF), departing New Zealand on 7 June aboard the RMS Rangitata with some fellow RNZAF pilots, including Robert Spurdle and Edward Wells. He arrived in Britain in late July, and after a short period at RAF Uxbridge was posted to No. 7 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at Hawarden. Here he converted to Supermarine Spitfires and then joined No. 266 Squadron based at Wittering on 27 August. It moved forward to Debden shortly after his arrival and it was from here he departed on his first operational flight. The squadron was tasked with intercepting a force of Luftwaffe bombers making their way over the Thames Estuary, and passing through cloud he became separated from the other Spitfires of his unit. Unable to make radio contact with the ground, he became lost, ran out of fuel and executed a wheels-up landing in a field.
On 14 September Pattison was posted to No. 92 Squadron, stationed at Biggin Hill. At the time, the Battle of Britain was at its peak and less than two weeks later, he crash landed his Spitfire at West Malling; during a dogfight over Gravesend, he had been attacked by a Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter and received serious thigh wounds from a cannon shell. He spent the next eight months in hospital and on recovery, rejoined the squadron on 1 June 1941 having been promoted to flying officer. He was only at the squadron for a month before being posted as an instructor to No. 61 OTU. In November Pattison contravened standing orders regarding low flying and flew under the Severn railway bridge. After a court martial, he lost three months seniority.
Channel Front
Returning to operations in April 1942, Pattison was posted to No. 485 (NZ) Squadron, based at Kenley. On 26 April the squadron, providing cover for Hurribombers attacking targets in Calais, was engaged by Focke Wulf 190 fighters. During the encounter, the engine of Pattison's Spitfire was damaged. He was able to make it most of the way back across the English Channel but bailed out off the Sussex coast. He rescued by an air-sea rescue launch. Four of the squadron's pilots were shot down in the engagement, two fatally. He was promoted to flight lieutenant the following month and for most of the next twelve months would fly extensively on operations, many to France.