Paltridge was born on 11 January 1910 in
Leederville, Western Australia. His father worked as a banker and the family lived for periods in Western Australia,
Queensland, and
New South Wales. He attended primary school in
Moora, Western Australia,
Ipswich, Queensland, and
Enmore, New South Wales, before completing his education to the age of 16 with an
Intermediate Certificate from
Fort Street Boys' High School in Sydney. In 1927 Paltridge began working for the
National Bank of Australasia (NBA) in Sydney. His parents separated the following year and he returned to Perth with his mother and sister, living at the Broken Hill Hotel in
Victoria Park that was managed by his uncle by marriage. Paltridge continued to work for the NBA until 1936, when he took over as manager and licensee of the hotel, a "large and busy working man's pub". His aunt had inherited the lease in 1931 following her husband's death. Paltridge enlisted in the
Royal Australian Air Force in February 1940, but failed flying training. He was subsequently assigned as a stores clerk, but was discharged in December 1941 and joined the
Australian Imperial Force in February 1942. He saw overseas service as a
gunner in the
2/7th Field Regiment, sailing to
Morotai in April 1945 and serving in the
Battle of Tarakan the following month. Paltridge returned to Australia in September 1945 following his mother's death. He subsequently resumed his management of the hotel. ==Politics==