Date of birth | |
Place of birth | Launceston, Tasmania |
Religion | Church of England |
Occupation | Solicitor |
Marital status | Single |
Age at embarkation | 27.11 |
Height | 5' 8" |
Weight | 140 lbs |
Next of kin | Mother, Lilian Halliburton Ferguson, 9 Northcott Terrace, Medindie, Adelaide, South Australia |
Previous military service | Served as Lieutenant, 80th Bn, Citizen Military Forces; still serving at time of AIF enlistment. |
Enlistment date | |
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll | |
Place of enlistment | Adelaide, South Australia |
Rank on enlistment | 2nd Lieutenant |
Unit name | 48th Battalion, 9th Reinforcement |
Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT Seang Bee on |
Rank from Nominal Roll | Lieutenant |
Unit from Nominal Roll | 48th Battalion |
Promotions |
2nd Lieutenant Promotion date: |
Fate | Killed in Action |
Age at death from cemetery records | 30 |
Place of burial | Adelaide Cemetery (Plot III, Row K, Grave No. 2), Villers-Bretonneux, France |
Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 145 |
Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Commemorated in North Road Church of England Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia. Commemorated on Supreme Court Roll of Honour, Adelaide, South Australia. Inscription ('Those Who Fell') reads: 'Ante diem periit sed miles sed pro patria' ['He died before his time, but as a soldier, and for his country.' From the poem 'Clifton Chapel' by Henry Newbolt]. Parents: Frederick and Lilian H. FERGUSON. Native of Launceston, Tasmania. Photo: Peter Dennis |
Medals |
Croix de Guerre (France) Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 23 Date: |
Other details |
War service: Western Front Embarked Adelaide, 10 February 1917; disembarked Devonport, England, 2 May 1917, and marched in to 12th Training Bn, Codford. On command, School of Instruction, Kandahar Barracks, Tidworth, 14 May 1917. Proceeded overseas to France, 11 July 1917; taken on strength, 48th Bn, in the field, 25 July 1917. Promoted Lieutenant, 7 August 1917. On leave to United Kingdom, 29 December 1917; rejoined Bn from leave, 16 January 1918. Killed in action, 3 May 1918. Statement, Red Cross File No 1050404E, Lt R.C. BEECHMORE, 48th Bn (patient, 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth, England), 27 June 1918; 'I know that Lt. Ferguson was killed at Villiers [sic] Brettoneux on the date given, he was shot straight through the head by a machine gun bullet and died instantaneously. He was buried the next morning by the stretcher bearers of the 45th Battn. near the line where he fell.' Second statement, 3930 Pte A.R. ZERNA, 48th Bn (patient, No 11 Stationary Hospital, Rouen), 20 August 1918: 'He was killed at Monument wood near Villers Bretonneux. He was wounded in the shoulder and could not get back by himself, so I went to help him, and as we were going back, he leaning on me, he was shot through his helmet and head and was killed instantly. He dropped and did not move or speak again. This occurred during an attack we were making. I heard he was buried but I do not know where. The enemy was too strong for us, and we retired to our front line. He was my Plat. officers and a good one, for he looked well after his men.' Medals: Croix de Guerre, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
Sources | NAA: B2455, FERGUSON Angus Salier
Red Cross File No 1050404E |