Paton was 23 years old, and a sergeant in the 93rd Regiment of Foot (later The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders,[2] British Army during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place at the Siege of Lucknow for which he was awarded the VC: For distinguished personal gallantry at Lucknow, on the 16th of November, 1857, in proceeding alone round the Shah Nujjiff under an extremely heavy-fire, discovering a breach on the opposite side, to which he afterwards conducted the Regiment, by which means that important position was taken.

[2] He lived with his family in a cottage (no longer standing) near the corner of Prospect Road and Robert Street at Summer Hill in Sydney's inner western suburbs.

A park located across the street from the church is named in his honour His grave (including family members) is in the Anglican Monumental Area "AAA, number 414" of Rookwood Necropolis, Strathfield, Sydney.

"[4][5] His Victoria Cross was originally donated to St Andrews Church of England, Summer Hill, by his daughters and for years it was proudly displayed with his other medals in a cabinet directly beneath his large bronze memorial plaque, however after it was stolen in the early 1980s and recovered soon afterwards with a subsequent attempt at theft the church decided to honour John Paton's memory by donating it to his old regiment in the town of his birth.

He also received campaign medals for bravery, including: 'Relief of Lucknow (1857–1858)' - 'Crimea (1855)' and one for 'Sevastopol, Balaklava and Alma (1854)'[4][5] His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Museum, Stirling Castle, Scotland.