Sapper Thomas w patterson 14252136 died 24/12/1944

[Kaznbaz]

Hi I'm trying to find out if this soldier is my uncle Thomas william patterson who was born in stockton in 1922 but the commonwealth war graves site doesent tell me who his parents where or where he was born is there any other way to find out I'm a beginner at family history hope someone can help thanks

[Girl Guide]

Welcome to Rootschat Kaz 

This looks a likely candidate for his birth

Births Jun 1922 
Patterson    Thomas W    Orr    Stockton    10a   197

[Girl Guide]

This is probably his parents marriage

Marriages Jun 1920   
Orr    Maud    Patterson    Stockton    10a   194    
Patterson    Thomas    Orr    Stockton    10a   194

[Girl Guide]

The family are on the 1939 Register living at 41 Thorpe Street , Stockton

Going by the births on Free BMD it looks as though Thomas was one of nine children.

Added: Actually I think he may be one of 11 children.  Two Patterson/Orr births registered in Durham. One of those is on the 1939 Register.

If Thomas was your uncle then you would be descended from one of his siblings.  Would your relevant parent be a father or mother?

[Kaznbaz]

Hi girl guide my father was Thomas Patterson's younger brother but he never talked about what had happened to Thomas so we are not sure if the Thomas w Patterson who died in 1944 is our uncle from Stockton as there is no information on the commonwealth war grave site

[Girl Guide]

Which brother?  Thomas had the following as brothers all younger:-

Joseph W, Ernest, Alan, Aubrey, Denis, John or Charles H.

[Girl Guide]

May I suggest that you consider obtaining Thomas's service record?  You have his service number which will help identify him and you also know he was a Sapper.

I obtained the service papers for my late father-in-law and it gives next of kin details.

It costs £30 and information about obtaining them is below:-

https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records

[Jool]

Hi Kaz and welcome to Rootschat

As you have seen, CWGC lists Thomas William Patterson as a Sapper in the Royal Engineers but doesn't state where he was from.

The North East War Memorials Project has this man listed on page 20 of the Book of Remembrance 1939-1945 at St. Thomas' Church, High Street, Stockton on Tees.

Patterson, T.    Sapper    Royal Engineers

http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=11131

I wonder if this is your man.

[Jool]

Hi again Kaz

I think Sapper T Patterson in the Stockton Book of Remembrance and Sapper Thomas William Patterson on the CWGC are likely to be the same man.

If you search the CWGC website for T Patterson in WW2, only 13 results appear, all of them called Thomas or Thomas Something Patterson. 

Only 2 of them are in the Royal Engineers.  You can rule one out as he was a Corporal (son of Percy and Marjorie Patterson, of Jesmond, Newcastle-on-Tyne)

The only one left is Sapper Thomas William Patterson that you have already found. He has to be the same Sapper T Patterson of the Royal Engineers who is in the Book of Remembrance at Stockton.

I would take Girl Guide's advice and order his service record if funds allow.

Good luck