Alan Patterson (athlete) explained

Alan Patterson (12 March 1886 – 14 March 1916) was a British track and field athlete who specialised in the 400 metres and 800 metres. He ran for the Sheffield United Harriers and the Salford Harriers and competed in the 1908 and 1912 Summer Olympics.

Background

Patterson was born in Deal, Kent.^[1]

Army career

Patterson was a lieutenant and then a captain in the British Army. Between the 1908 and 1912 Olympics, he served in India.^[2]

Sports

Patterson ran for the Sheffield United Harriers, and later the Salford Harriers, and competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London and at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm.^{[3] [4]}

In the 400 metres event in 1908, Patterson took second place in his preliminary heat with a time of 50.6 seconds to winner John Atlee's 50.4 seconds. Due to his loss, Patterson did not advance to the semifinals.

Four years later, he was eliminated in the first round of the 400 metres competition as well as of the 800 metres event.

Patterson became the National 440 yards champion after winning the AAA Championships title at the 1909 AAA Championships.^{[5] [6] [7]}

Death

Patterson was killed in action at age 30 during the First World War in Vermelles, Pas-de-Calais, serving as a captain with the Royal Artillery near Mazingarbe.^[8] He is buried at the Fosse 7 Military Cemetery nearby.^[9]

See also

• List of Olympians killed in World War I

External links

• Book: Cook, Theodore Andrea . 1908 . The Fourth Olympiad, Being the Official Report . British Olympic Association . London.
• Web site: De Wael . Herman . 2001 . Athletics 1908 . Herman's Full Olympians . 25 July 2006 . 27 September 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060927093153/http://users.skynet.be/hermandw/olymp/ath1908.html . dead .
• Web site: Wudarski . Pawel . 1999 . Wyniki Igrzysk Olimpijskich . 25 July 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060614002359/http://olympic.w.interia.pl/. 14 June 2006 . live. pl.
• Alan Patterson. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-10-18.
• News: Death of Capt. Alan Patterson, a capable officer and fine athlete . 25 August 2022 . Deal, Walmer & Sandwich Mercury . British Newspaper Archive . subscription . 25 March 1916 . 5 col.5. (Obituary of Patterson)
• News: Capt. Alan Patterson, who is reported killed . 25 August 2022 . Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News . British Newspaper Archive . subscription . 1 April 1916 . 5 cols 1–2. (Obituary of Patterson)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Alan Patterson . Olympedia . 5 March 2021.
2. Captain Alan Patterson and Sheffield Connections, Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 25 March 1916
3. Web site: Alan Patterson . https://web.archive.org/web/20200418042106/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/pa/alan-patterson-2.html . dead . 18 April 2020 . 3 August 2015 . Sports Reference.
4. Captain Alan Patterson and Sheffield Connections, Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 25 March 1916
5. News: Athletics . Leicester Daily Post . 5 July 1909 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 24 October 2024.
6. News: AAA Championships . Manchester Courier . 5 July 1909 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 24 October 2024.
7. Web site: AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists . National Union of Track Statisticians . 24 October 2024.
8. Web site: Olympians Who Were Killed or Missing in Action or Died as a Result of War . https://web.archive.org/web/20200417055433/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/friv/lists.cgi?id=65 . dead . 17 April 2020 . 3 August 2015 . Sports Reference.
9. http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/563707 Patterson, Alan