William Donald Patrick, Lord Patrick (24 December 1889 – 17 February 1967) was a Scottish advocate who served with the Royal Flying Corps during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. After the war, he returned to practice law with great success, and became a judge in 1939, as a Senator of the College of Justice. After

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 opposing ...

, he was one of the 12 judges of the Tokyo War Crimes Trial at the end of the

Second World War 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 opposi ...

Early life

Patrick was born in Dalry, Ayrshire, the son of William Smith Neil Patrick, Sheriff Clerk of

Ayr Ayr (; sco, Ayr; gd, Inbhir Àir, "Mouth of the River Ayr") is a town situated on the southwest coast of Scotland. It is the administrative centre of the South Ayrshire Subdivisions of Scotland, council area and the historic Shires of Scotlan ...

and his wife Anne. His father was sheriff clerk of Ayrshire. William was educated at the

High School of Glasgow The High School of Glasgow is an independent, co-educational day school in Glasgow, Scotland. The original High School of Glasgow was founded as the choir school of Glasgow Cathedral in around 1124, and is the oldest school in Scotland, and the ...

and then studied law at the

University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

, graduating with an MA in 1909 and LLB in 1912.

Career

Patrick was admitted to the

Faculty of Advocates The Faculty of Advocates is an independent body of lawyers who have been admitted to practise as advocates before the courts of Scotland, especially the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary. The Faculty of Advocates is a constit ...

in 1913. When the First World War began in 1914, Patrick joined the Royal Flying Corps. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in July 1916, and later promoted to captain and then flight commander. He was posted to No. 1 Squadron in 1917, and became an

air ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

having claimed seven victories against German aircraft between October 1917 and March 1918. He was shot down by ground fire behind enemy lines near Messines on 10 April 1918, and became a

prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of w ...

Holzminden Holzminden (; nds, Holtsminne) is a town in southern Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Holzminden. It is located on the river Weser, which at this point forms the border with the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Histor ...

. After the war, he continued with his legal career, becoming standing counsel to the Department of Agriculture for Scotland, and an advocate depute (prosecutor) in the sheriff courts in 1929. After

taking silk In the United Kingdom and in some Commonwealth countries, a King's Counsel (post-nominal initials KC) during the reign of a king, or Queen's Counsel (post-nominal initials QC) during the reign of a queen, is a lawyer (usually a barrister or a ...

in August 1933, his acuity and forensic skills led to high demand for his services as a King's Counsel, and he led in some high-profile cases. The Clune Moor grouse case, the Bute right-of-way case, and the Inverailort deer-stalking case all aroused wide interest. In June 1937 Patrick was unanimously elected as

Dean of the Faculty of Advocates The Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, also known as the Dean of Faculty, is the head of the Faculty of Advocates, the independent body for advocates in Scotland. The Dean is elected by the whole membership. List of deans of Faculty * 1582 to ??? ...

, replacing James Keith who had become a judge. His appointment was greeted with "unfeigned pleasure" by the Lord President

Lord Normand Wilfrid Guild Normand, Baron Normand, (1884 – 5 October 1962), was a Scottish Unionist Party politician and judge. He was a Scottish law officer at various stages between 1929 and 1935, and a member of parliament (MP) from 1931 to 1935. He ...

. In 1939 he became a judge at the Court of Session and Senator of the College of Justice under the title of Lord Patrick following the death of James Pitman, Lord Pitman. From 1946 to 1948 he represented the United Kingdom at the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, where 28 Japanese military and political leaders were tried on charges of war crimes. After returning to Scotland, he joined the Second Division of the

Inner House The Inner House is the senior part of the Court of Session, the supreme civil court in Scotland; the Outer House forms the junior part of the Court of Session. It is a court of appeal and a court of first instance. The chief justice is t ...

at the Court of Session. He became a Privy Councillor in 1949. In the same year Glasgow University awarded him an honorary doctorate (LLD). In 1950 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were Sir

Robert Muir Robert Muir may refer to: * Robert Muir (pathologist) (1864–1959), Scottish pathologist *Robert Muir (politician) (1919–2011), Canadian politician * Robbie Muir (footballer) (born 1953), Australian rules footballer * Bob Muir (coach), American ...

, Sir

Ernest Wedderburn Sir Ernest MacLagan Wedderburn (3 February 1884 – 3 June 1958) was a Scottish lawyer, and a significant figure both in the civic life of Edinburgh and in the legal establishment. He held the posts of Professor of Conveyancing in the Universi ...

, Thomas Mackay Cooper, Lord Cooper, Sir

William Wright Smith Sir William Wright Smith FRS FRSE FLS VMH LLD (2 February 1875 Lochmaben, Dumfriesshire – 15 December 1956) was a Scottish botanist and horticulturalist. Life He was born at Parkend farm near Lochmaben in Dumfriesshire, the son of James ...

and Douglas Guthrie.

Death

Lord Patrick died in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...

on 17 February 1967, aged 77. He was unmarried and had no children.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Patrick, William Donald 1889 births 1967 deaths

Patrick Patrick may refer to: * Patrick (given name), list of people and fictional characters with this name * Patrick (surname), list of people with this name People * Saint Patrick (c. 385–c. 461), Christian saint *Gilla Pátraic (died 1084), Patrick ...

People from Dalry, North Ayrshire Royal Flying Corps officers Scottish flying aces British World War I flying aces British World War I prisoners of war Royal Air Force personnel of World War I People educated at the High School of Glasgow Alumni of the University of Glasgow Deans of the Faculty of Advocates Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Scottish airmen Scottish King's Counsel 20th-century King's Counsel Judges of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East