Lieutenant Colonel Henry Patterson 1913-1990
Henry enlisted with the Royal Canadian Army Signals Corps and the 13 District Signals in Calgary, in October 1939. In 1940 he transferred to the Canadian Active Service Force and served in England, landing on Juno beach later in the day on June 6, 1944 and serving in Northwest Europe until May 1945. Following his wartime service, he was the first Commanding Officer of the 7 Independent Signals Squadron reserve force unit in the post war period. He was an active supporter of the 746 Communications Squadron, the Canadian Signals Association (including serving as Western Canadian Vice-President) and the 2509 Royal Canadian Signals Cadet Corps. He was awarded the 1939-1945 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal (with bar), War Medal 1939-1945, Canadian Centennial Medal (1967) and Canadian Forces’ Decoration.
Also knows as The Honourable Henry Patterson, he studied at the University of Alberta earning a B A (1936) and LLB (1937). He was called to the bar in 1938 and worked as a Barrister before and after the Second World War. In 1960 he was named to the District Court of southern Alberta in Calgary, which became the Court of Queen’s Bench, sitting until his retirement in 1988. In that time he served as President of the Calgary Bar Association (1955), Bencher of the Law Society of Alberta (1934-1937 and 1940-1949) and President of the Law Society of Alberta (1948-1949)
Henry is survived by three of his four children, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. His wife, Sergeant Laura Stuart Patterson served in the Canadian Women’s Army Corps and has also been honoured on Remembrance Row. Their granddaughter Jill Ainsworth is running the half marathon. This year is her fifth time participating in the Army Run.