Patrick Joseph (Paddy) BUGDEN VC

BUGDEN, Patrick Joseph

Service Number: 3774
Enlisted: 25 May 1916, Enoggera, Queensland
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 31st Infantry Battalion
Born: Lismore, New South Wales, Australia, 17 March 1897
Home Town: Alstonville, Northern Rivers, New South Wales
Schooling: Gundurimba Public School, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation: Hotel Keeper
Died: Killed in Action, Belgium, 28 September 1917, aged 20 years
Cemetery: Hooge Crater Cemetery, Belgium
VII C 5,
Memorials: Alstonville Paddy Bugden VC Memorial, Alstonville War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Keith Payne VC Memorial Park, Lismore & District Memorial Honour Roll, North Bondi War Memorial, Tomki Public School Honor Roll, Winchelsea WWI Memorial
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World War 1 Service

25 May 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3774, Enoggera, Queensland
19 Sep 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3774, 31st Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1,

--- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Seang Choon embarkation_ship_number: A49 public_note: ''

19 Sep 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3774, 31st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Seang Choon, Brisbane
19 Mar 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3774, 31st Infantry Battalion, German Withdrawal to Hindenburg Line and Outpost Villages
31 Jul 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3774, 31st Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres
27 Sep 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3774, 31st Infantry Battalion, Polygon Wood
Date unknown: Honoured Victoria Cross

Citation for the Victoria Cross - London Gazette 26 November 1917

The London Gazette of 26 November 1917 printed details of the award.

"For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty when on two occasions our advance was temporarily held up by strongly defended 'pill boxes', Private Bugden, in the face of devastating fire from machine guns, gallantly led small parties to attack these strong points and, successfully silencing the machine guns with bombs, captured the garrison at the point of a bayonet.

"On another occasion when a corporal, who had been detached from his company, had been captured and was being taken to the rear of the enemy, Private Bugden, single-handed, rushed to the rescue of his comrade, shot one enemy and bayoneted the remaining two, thus releasing the corporal.

"On five occasions he rescued wounded men under intense shell and machine gun fire, showing utter contempt and disregard for danger. Always foremost in volunteering for any dangerous mission, it was during the execution of one of these missions that this gallant soldier was killed."

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Biography contributed by Robert Kearney

Bugden, Patrick Joseph (1897–1917)
by N. S. Foldi

Patrick Joseph Bugden (1897-1917), soldier, was born on 17 March 1897 at South Gundurimba, New South Wales, eldest child of Thomas Bugden, farmer, and his wife Annie, née Connolly, both native-born. His father died when Bugden was 6, leaving four children; and his mother remarried. Educated at Gundurimba Public School and the convent school at Tatham, he later worked for his stepfather as a barman at the Federal Hotel, Alstonville; outgoing and popular, he excelled at football, cricket and shot-putting. Before joining the Australian Imperial Force he completed twelve months military training under the compulsory scheme introduced in 1911.

Bugden enlisted in the A.I.F. as a private on 25 May 1916, trained at Enoggera in Queensland, and in September embarked for the Western Front with 31st Battalion reinforcements. He joined the unit on 19 March 1917 at Bapaume and served there until the end of May.

https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/bugden-patrick-joseph-5418 (adb.anu.edu.au)

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