Alexander Gordon Patrick (13 June 1914 – 19 March 2014) was a New Zealand track cyclist who represented his country at the
1938 British Empire Games
The 1938 British Empire Games was the third British Empire Games, the event that evolved to become the Commonwealth Games. Held in Sydney, Australia from 5–12 February 1938, they were timed to coincide with Sydney's sesqui-centenary (150 ye ...
.
Early life and family
Born in the
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...
suburb of Mount Eden on 13 June 1914, Patrick was the son of Andrew Taylor Patrick and Ethel Mary Patrick (née Triner). Through his mother, he was a first cousin of Ronald Triner, who also represented New Zealand as a cyclist at the 1938 British Empire Games.
Cycling
A member of the Manuaku Amateur Cycling Club, Patrick was third, behind Ron Ulmer and Frank Grose, in the paced 10-mile race at the New Zealand cycling championships in 1935. He went on to win the same event at the national championships in 1937, recording a time of 20:33.
At the
1938 British Empire Games
The 1938 British Empire Games was the third British Empire Games, the event that evolved to become the Commonwealth Games. Held in Sydney, Australia from 5–12 February 1938, they were timed to coincide with Sydney's sesqui-centenary (150 ye ...
in
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
, Patrick competed in the 10-mile scratch race but was unplaced.
Military service
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Patrick served as a corporal in the
Royal New Zealand Air Force
The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) ( mi, Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa, "The Warriors of the Sky of New Zealand"; previously ', "War Party of the Blue") is the aerial service branch of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed from New Zeala ...
.
Sailing
Patrick was an accomplished sailor of the Mistral class of two-handed dinghy, originally designed by
Des Townson
Desmond Thomas Townson (16 March 1934 – 15 October 2008) was a New Zealand yacht designer. As a teenager he won the Tanner Cup in 1950, the nation's premier teenage yachting championship
Death
Patrick died in
Pakuranga
Pakuranga is an eastern suburb of Auckland, in northern New Zealand. Pakuranga covers a series of low ridges and previously swampy flats, now drained, that lie between the Pakuranga Creek and Tamaki River, two estuarial arms of the Hauraki Gul ...