First black British pilot celebrated in exhibition

A man thought to have been the first black pilot in the British military is featured in an exhibition.

Alexander Patterson started work as an apprentice in Southampton's shipyards but had already joined the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) when World War One broke out in 1914.

Born in February 1892 in Southampton, his father was a mariner from the Caribbean and his mother was a white nurse.

His life has been researched by his grandson, Rex Patterson, and is included in an exhibition at Reading Museum, which highlights other black airmen from that time and World War Two.

Alexander, who had initially studied to become a mechanical engineer, was awarded the Mons Star in 1914.

In 1915 he was promoted to the rank of sergeant and later became a sergeant pilot and then a sergeant major. He rose to the rank of officer in 1917.

He paved the way for other black servicemen, including Rex's father, who served during World War Two.

But there was impact on his life, Rex said.

"It destroyed [Alexander's] marriage; becoming an officer destroyed his marriage. He couldn't assimilate with the old life at all."

Rex, who has researched his grandfather's life, never met him personally but said he left a £1 premium bond for each of his grandchildren on a rare trip to their home.

Another man featured in the exhibition is Eugene Bullard, who was the only African American to serve as a pilot during World War One.

Born in Georgia, he stowed away on a ship for Europe and settled in France. He qualified as a military pilot in the French Air Service in May 1917.

He applied to join the American Air Service but was denied because of his colour. He was posthumously commissioned as a second lieutenant in the US Air Force in 1994.