Garen, the collection is growing!
Patrick Gavin
Gunner, 6578
Royal Artillery
Patrick Gavin was born in Perth, Scotland in July 1857. He was the second of four children born to Patrick and Sarah (née McLaughlin) both originally from Ireland. Prior to joining the Army, Patrick served in the Perthshire Militia and was employed in the boat building industry as a ship carpenter. He enlisted on the 16th of October 1875 at Dundee at the age of 18 years 3 months, joining the Royal Artillery (RA) for 12 years’ service.
After conducting his initial posting with 16th Brigade RA (16 Bde), Patrick was transferred to 20 Bde based in Secunderabad, India. He set sail on the 25th of January 1877, arriving a month later. After just under two years in India, Patrick returned to England, arriving home on the 28th of November 1878 and transferred to 4 Bde on the 12th of April 1879.
On the 19th of April 1879, whilst at Woolwich, Patrick deserted from the Army. 4 Bde were stationed in Agra and it is probable that Patrick deserted to avoid being sent back to India. He re-joined ten weeks later on the 1st of July, when he was imprisoned awaiting trial by court martial. He was tried on the 17th of July, found guilty and imprisoned for a further 55 days. Just three days after his release on the 11th of September 1879, Patrick was again arrested and sentenced to a further 6 weeks imprisonment, being released on the 2nd of November. He eventually set sail for India two days before Christmas 1879 and arriving on the 22nd of January 1880 and joined C Battery, 4 Bde (C/4) who were deployed on active duty in the Second Anglo-Afghan War.
C/4 saw action in both phases of the campaign, firstly with the reserve Division of Major-General Roberts’ Kuram Valley Field Force and in the latter, protecting the lines of communication between Kabul and India under the command of Brigadier-General Gordon. Arriving at the beginning of 1880, Patrick would have taken part in the expeditions throughout the Kuram Valley, during which time the battery was repeatedly in action. At the cessation of the war, C/4 recrossed the border into India, making its way back to Rawal Pindi and subsequently onto Lahore. Within a year, on the 20th of December 1881, Patrick once again found himself tried and imprisoned for another 55 days. Service in India led Patrick to suffer bouts of Malaria, he was hospitalised with heart palpitations, and on the 3rd of March 1884 he passed a Medical Board for return to England.
Two years later, Patrick’s ill-discipline continued, this time being tried and fined £5. In April 1887, whilst stationed in Christchurch, Patrick re-engaged to complete a total of 21 years with the regular Army and at some point was transferred to the Depot battery of 4 Bde. He was transferred to the RA District Staff in October 1890 and then the Inspection Branch, Division of Artillery in April 1892. Patrick was granted permission to continue beyond 21 years’ service before finally being discharged on the 23rd of October 1897 at Woolwich. He had served a total of 22 years and five days.
On the 2nd of May 1900 Patrick re-engaged for one years’ short service with the RA and was posted to 103 Field Battery. He was 42 years old. This was during the Boer War, when the possibility of additional troops being required for service in South Africa meant that additional recruiting was taking place to backfill the regular troops at home. Having served his short service contract Patrick was discharged on the 1st of May 1901.
Patrick died in Woolwich on Christmas Day 1903 aged 46.
