Patrick Bugden
1897–1917 (age 20)
Biography
Patrick Bugden, born 1897, was a young Australian who answered the call to serve in the 13th Battalion and found himself in the mud and wire of the Western Front. In the summer of 1917 his leadership at Hooge Crater shone through as he carried wounded men from the fire, rallied others to hold the trench line and kept the attack moving despite the most dreadful shelling.
His comrades remember him not only for the courage that earned him the Victoria Cross but for the quiet way he kept his humour even when the road ahead was bleak; he is commemorated at Hooge Crater Cemetery, where those who visit can offer thanks for his selfless sacrifice.