Wilfrid Patterson

Admiral Sir Wilfrid Rupert Patterson KCB, CBE, CVO (20 November 1893 – 15 December 1954) was a senior officer in the Royal Navy. He was the Commodore Commanding His Majesty's Australian Squadron from September to November 1939. He participated in the naval battle that sunk the German battleship Bismarck.

Sir Wilfrid Rupert Patterson
Photo from The National Portrait Gallery, 1943
Born	20 November 1893 Belfast, Ireland
Died	12 December 1954 (aged 61) Charing Cross Hospital, London
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1906–1950
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	5th Cruiser Squadron (1945–46) 2nd Cruiser Squadron (1944) HMS King George V (1940–42) HMAS Canberra (1938–40) HM Australian Squadron (1939) HMS Hawkins (1936–38) HMS Folkestone (1935)
Battles/wars	First World War Second World War
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Commander of the Royal Victorian Order Mentioned in Despatches Legion of Merit (United States)

Naval career

Born on 20 November 1893 in Belfast, Ireland, the son of William Robert Patterson and Elizabeth Fleming. He joined the Royal Navy as a cadet on 15 September 1906 and specialised in gunnery. He was appointed the Commodore Commanding His Majesty's Australian Squadron between 2 September 1939 and 1 November 1939.

In recognition of the role played while commanding HMS King George V in the destruction of the Bismarck, he was awarded the Companion of the Order of the Bath on 14 October 1941.[1] He was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 11 June 1946.[2]

He was present at the surrender of the Japanese.[3]

Notes

1. "No. 35307". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 October 1941. p. 5945.
2. "No. 37603". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 June 1946. p. 2881.
3. Certificate confirming the presence of Admiral Sir Wilfred Rupert Patterson at the Surrender of the Japanese, 12 September 1945.