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424509: P/O GRAHAM WARREN PATERSON.
Parents: MR. AND MRS. T.E. PATERSON OF OTAPIRI R.D. WINTON, SOUTHLAND.

Graham Paterson was born at Invercargill on the 6th May 1922. He received his secondary education at Southland Technical College, Invercargill where he was captain of the school first fifteen Other sports of his were running and tennis. He was employed by Messrs. Storrie Willett Ltd., of Invercargill as a lathe worker. In May, 1941 he applied for war service in the R.N.Z.A.F.

P/O Paterson was enlisted for aircrew training on the 2nd May, 1942 at the Initial Training Wing, Rotorua and on the 25th July was posted to No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School, Taieri, for elementary flying training. On the 31st October he embarked for Canada for training under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

Shortly after arrival in Canada, P/O Paterson was posted on the 6th December, 1942 to No. 3 Service Flying Training School, Calgary, Alberta, where on the 2nd April 1943 he was awarded his flying badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant. He was promoted to Flight Sergeant on the 2nd October 1943 and commissioned in the rank of Pilot Officer on the 28th July, 1944. Meanwhile on the 12th April 1943, he had proceeded to No. 1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia to await embarkation for the United Kingdom.

P/O Paterson arrived at No. 12 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth on the 24th May 1943, and was posted on the 2nd July 1943 and was posted on the 2nd July 1943 to No. 29 Elementary Flying Training School, Clyffe Pypard, Wiltshire. He was posted on the 17th August 1943 to No. 11 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit, Shawsbury, Shrewsbury, on the 14th September he was posted to No. 1520 Beam Approach Training Flight, Holme, Yorkshire, for a blind flying course. On the 16th November he was posted to No. 11 Operational Training Unit, then at Wescott and later at (redacted Calily) Oakley, both in Buckinghamshire. At these stations he crewed up and completed his training on Wellington bomber aircraft. He was posted on the 17th April, 1944, to No. 1651 Conversion Unit, Wratting Common, Cambridgeshire.