St. Michael and St. George were ordered by the incumbent of the parish, the Rev. Lewis Williams, in December 1947 on behalf of Mrs. C.A. Mickle, widow of Hugh Patterson and mother of Richard and William Patterson. Christ Church, and the Patterson family, had a long relationship with Brooks, Robinson & Co., dating from 1893 when George Patterson first commissioned a window, St. James the Pilgrim, as a tribute to his parents and commissioned St. Matthew and St. Thomas in 1910, in memory of his wife.Brooks, Robinson'scartoon for St. Michael was based on the same one used for Mrs. Trenwith at Holy Trinity, Oakleigh and St. George was adapted from one of artist George Dancey's most popular cartoons. Unfortunately, Brooks, Robinson's glass-painter spelled the surname incorrectly, leaving out the second 'T' in Patterson.
Richard and William Patterson were the sons of Hugh and Grangie (nee Stuart) Patterson. Richard was born in 1909 and a grazier when he enlisted in the RAAF in 1941. He was a Flying Officer at 1 Operational Training Base Bairnsdale when he lost his life as part of the crew of Beaufort A9-67, missing on a operational exercise at sea on 11 January 1943; Pilot Sgt. Long, Sgt. AR Simpson and Sgt. McKay were also lost. All are commemorated among the names of the 192 aircrew lost in accidents from 1 OTU at the Beaufort Memorial Gardens, Bairnsdale.
William Patterson, born in 1911, enlisted in AIF whereattained the rank of Staff Sergeant in No.1 Independent Company. While attempting to escape from New Britain to Port Moresby on their damaged boat he and the crew were captured by the Japanese and taken to Rabaul. He was presumed lost with all other prisoners when the Montevideo Maru was torpedoed by USS Sturgeon on 1 July 1942. It is believed that the Australians were locked below decks and unable to survive. He is remembered on the Rabaul Memorial, Papua New Guinea.
References & Acknowledgements
AWM Roll of Honour; NAA: B883, VX20713; Argus, 17 August 1942, p.4; 20 October 1945, p.14; 14 January 1943, p.3; Charles Page, Wings of Destiny: Wing Commander Charles Learmonth DFC and Bar, and the air war in New Guinea, (2008), p.350; Cairns Post, 14 January 1943, p.4; Church of England Messenger, 5 May 1893, p.78; Sydney Morning Herald, 30 April 1941, p.5; http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs; Commonwealth War Graves website www.cwgc.org.
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