SAPPER ALEXANDER WILLIAM HENRY HAROLD FERGUSON
2768 – Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company
Pretoria, South Africa was the birthplace of Alexander William Henry Harold Ferguson about 1895. He
came to Australia and stated he had no relatives. Military experience was gained with four years in the
Rockhampton Light Horse. His occupation was a labourer in 1914.
At the Central District Central Recruiting Depot in Rockhampton, Queensland the nineteen year old
applied to enlist for active service abroad on September 17, 1914. After passing the medical examination
Attestation Forms were completed giving particulars of height 170cms (5ft 7ins), weight 63.6kgs (140lbs)
with a chest expansion of 92-99cms (36½-39ins). Fair was his complexion with blue eyes and fair hair.
Distinctive marks were three vaccination scars on his left arm and one on the right and a scar on his right
eyebrow. Religion was Church of England. In the absence of immediate family he nominated his friend
Mr Harry Sturgess of Tregotham, Denham Street, Rockhampton in lieu of next-of-kin. He was sworn in
the same day.
At Enoggera camp he commenced training with ‘B’ Company.
Being under twenty-one years of age a Letter of Consent was signed by his cousin on October 19, 1914 at
Kia-Ora Vulture Street, Off Tribune Street, South Brisbane stating ‘I have this day given consent to my
cousin A.W. Ferguson to go to war as he is determined to go to the Front. D. Leith.’
On October 21, 1914 the following offence took place:
Offence:
Enoggera 21/10/14 (1) Absent Tattoo Roll Call till midnight and (2)
returning drunk.
Admitted:
Guilty
Award:
Fine 10/- and Discharge. By O.C. 15th Battalion.
Attestation Forms were marked Discharge. (1) Absent without Leave (2) Drunk off Parade. 23/10/14
He was to have been transferred to 15th Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade, A.I.F. on October 26, 1914 at
Enoggera camp.
Fourteen months later on January 24, 1916 at the Brisbane Recruiting Depot he re-applied to enlist for
service abroad and Re-attested. The teamster who was now over twenty years of age passed the medical.
Personal details had changed slightly with his weight at 64.5kgs (142lbs) and a chest expansion of 8795cms (34-37½ins). Complexion was dark with grey eyes testing to good vision and dark brown hair.
Additional distinctive marks were scars on upper arm, left foot and left back. Next-of-kin was initially
given as none then changed to Friend Miss Hilda Meredith, Raff Street, Toowoomba, Qld then altered to
another friend Mrs Clara McIntosh, Farm Road, Newmarket, Brisbane. He took the ‘Oath of Allegiance’
the same day.
Basic training commenced at the 11th Depot Battalion as a Private from January 26 to February 19, 1916.
Further instruction followed at the Mining Corps Depot before a transfer to their training camp at
Seymour, Vic on April 1, 1916. He was assigned to the 3rd Reinforcements, No. 2 Company with the
regimental number 2768 in the rank of Sapper.
Eighty members of the Reinforcements departed on transport HMAT A14 Euripides from Melbourne,
Vic on April 4, 1916. Their voyage terminated at the Suez about May 5 then the men were transhipped at
Alexandria on the City of Edinburgh and disembarked on May 17, 1916 at Marseilles, France. On June 1,
1916 they marched into the Aust General Base Depot in Etaples.
He went sick to hospital on July 13, 1916 and rejoined his unit two days later.
The following Crimes were dealt with on August 2 and August 14, 1916:
Crime:
Absent from Tattoo Roll Call from 9 p.m. 2/8/16 until Reveille 6 a.m.
3/8/16
Award:
7 days F.P. No 2 [Field Punishment]
Crime:
Award:
(1) Absent from billet 9 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. 12/8/16
(2) Using threatening language to superior officer
28 days F.P. No. 2.
Admitted to the 12th Casualty Clearing Station with Orchitis (Inflammation of testicles) (N.V.) and the
next day conveyed on A.T.21 to the 30th General Hospital at Calais and admitted with Epididymitis
(Infection to posterior surface of testis). He returned to the 2nd A.D.B.D. on September 28 progressing to
the A.G.B.D. on October 9, 1916.
On November 3, 1916 he was sent to the 26th General Hospital at Etaples suffering from Synovitis
(Tissue lining lubricates certain joints during movement becomes inflamed) and after four days
transferred to the 6th Convalescent Depot to rest. On November 14 was moved to the 5th Convalescent
Depot for fourteen days then returned from Cayeaux to Base Details on November 28.
Sapper Ferguson was attached to the Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining and Boring Company on
December 11, 1916.
Went injured to the 14th Field Ambulance on March 16, 1917 with a contused back and moved to the 2/3
Lancashire Field Ambulance the next day. Later that day was conveyed on A.T.18 for the 2/3 West
Riding Casualty Clearing Station diagnosed with a contused perineum and back then admitted to the 26th
General Hospital.
A small inquiry was ordered by the Commanding Officer who established the Contused Back was of a
trivial nature and claimed to be in performance of military duty the C.O. certified.
(a) 20/3/17
(b) Cuinchy
(c) Mechanical (D) No.
He attended the 15th C.C.S. on June 12, 1917 with Chronic Catarrhal and rejoined his unit five days later.
Blue Chevrons were issued to wear on his uniform after twelve months service.
Admitted to the 15th C.C.S. on March 28, 1918 with Bronchitis Catarrhal and on April 4 moved to the 54th
General Hospital with Bronchitis. The hospital ship Cambria conveyed him to England on April 11 and
entered the 1st Southern General Hospital at Monyhill, Birmingham with Bronchitis.
Discharged to furlough from April 15 to April 28, 1918 and was to report to the No. 4 Command Depot at
Hurdcott.
Another Offence was dealt on May 1, 1918:
Offence:
A.W.L. 30/4/18 London away from parade 11 a.m. till 3.45 p.m.
Award:
Admonished by Major C.H. Howard.
He went sick to Fovant Military Hospital on May 11 and discharged to the Training Depot on May 22 to
No. 3 C.D. Hurdcott. Three days later was discharged to No. 3 C.D. on June 27, 1918.
He was noted to be A.W.L. from July 1 until July 12, 1918 but this was found to be incorrect. In the
Registry Office at West Ham. London on July 2, 1918 Alexander William Henry Harold (23) married
Florence Robina Bradford (formerly Hicks) (24) a widow and daughter of a munition worker, of 26 St
John’s Road, East Ham. The ceremony was conducted by the Registrar A. Sayer by Licence.
Next-of-kin’s address was 14 Latham Road, East Ham., then 265 Johns Road, East Ham. to
Arnewood,121 York Road, Southend, England.
He marched out on July 27, 1918 to the Overseas Training Brigade at Deverill. While there on August 8,
1918 he was Absent without Leave and as a result was declared an illegal absentee by a Court of Inquiry
held on August 31, 1918 at Longbridge Deverill. A report later showed he returned and the following
action was taken on September 19, 1918:
District Court Martial held at Longbridge, Deverill.
Charge 9/8/18:
A.W.L. from 9/8/18 to 10/9/18
Finding:
Guilty
Sentence:
60 days Detention by Major-General The Hon Sir J.W. McKay, KCMG, CB.
Promulgated:
26/9/19 Investigated: 11/9/18
Period under charge: 11/9/18 to 26/9/18 (concurrent from 19/9/18 to 26/9/18)
The sentence was remitted on December 12, 1918.
His departure from the Overseas Training Brigade via Southampton on October 1, 1918 saw his arrival at
the A.G.B.D. in Rouelles the next day and rejoined his unit two days later.
On October 9, 1918 he was taken on Supernumeracy Strength as the Sapper had only been previously
attached to the A.E.M.M.B. Company in the field and by October 17 upgraded to Taken on Strength.
Sickness saw him taken to the 12th Stationary Hospital with Pyrexia (Fever) on November 1, 1918 but
was conveyed eight days later on A.T.12 to the 18th General Hospital at Camiers and the following day
was reported seriously ill with severe Bronchitis.
Peace was declared the next day and the Tunnelling Companies remained as part of the Army of
Occupation assisting with the rehabilitation by clearing roads and bridges in their area.
On November 21, 1918 the patient was transferred to England on the hospital ship Ville de Liege and
admitted to the Connaught War Hospital with Chronic Bronchitis (slight) the next day. Next-of-kin was
advised on November 26 that he had been admitted to hospital and dangerously ill. Discharged on
November 29 to the 1st Aust Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield until December 2, 1918 when he was
released on furlough and to report to the No. 1 Command Depot on December 16, 1918. Reported from
Headquarters and sent to the No. 1 C.D. at Sutton Veny. Base Records notified his friend that he was
now convalescent on December 12 and again on December 27, 1918.
Arrangements had been made for him to return to Australia on the H.T. Port Lincoln then changed to the
City of Exeter on January 8, 1919 but he did not embark. A form was dated February 9, 1920 stated he
was returning to Unit and pencilled in is ‘He is not returning.’
The file containing the District Court Martial was received at Records Office on February 4, 1919.
Mrs B. Borchardt of Scrubby Creek, Malachi, via Rockhampton wrote to Base Records on June 16, 1919
inquiring as to when Sapper Ferguson was returning home or landing. In his last letter to her dated
February 17, 1919 he said he had been wounded and be sailing by the time she received the letter. Base
Records had no further information since his admission to hospital seriously ill on November 10, 1918.
News of his return would be advised to his next-of-kin and also in the press as it was not possible to
advise others who were not next-of-kin.
Service card also states he was to embark on the H.T. Ceramic on August 9, 1920 and on August 10,
1919 he was granted extended leave while waiting for the family ship and was still on this leave on
January 20, 1920.
Sapper Ferguson with his wife and child (possibly named Emma) departed on March 27, 1920 on board
the H.T. Zealandic for the voyage to Australia. Base Records advised his friend of his departure on April
12, 1920.
The ship docked in Sydney, NSW (2nd M.D.) on May 14, 1920 and arrived in Brisbane, Qld (1st M.D.) on
May 16. The same day at the 27th Aust Auxiliary Hospital he was medically assessed. His Statement of
Case reads:
Place of Disability: Ypres, 1918
Essential facts:
Gassed still has a cough (sgd A.W. Ferguson)
Present condition:
Chronic Bronchitis
Rate & Improvement: 100% Six months
General labour market:
50%
Full capacity:
50%
Recommended:
Discharge. Proceedings dated May 28, 1920
A form (C7) dated June 14, 1920 is marked that he returned to Brisbane, Qld.
On June 18, 1920 the 5th Light Horse Regimental Headquarters advised that their trainee No 596 Pte
Ferguson, Alexander of the 1896 quota was returned and been discharged and requested a C7 form be
sent. A memo from Base Records to the Officer at the Drill Hall, Gympie advised that the record book
was forwarded to the Authorised Officer, Victoria Barracks, Brisbane on June 14, 1920 for re-direction to
the unit.
Military Discharge was issued in Brisbane, Qld (1st M.D.) on July 15, 1920 as medically unfit.
The file containing the District Court Martial was lodged with the Attorney General’s Office on
September 14, 1920.
His wife Florence Robina Ferguson died on November 5, 1921 in Queensland.
Sapper Alexander William Henry Harold Ferguson was issued with the British War Medal (14027) and
the Victory Medal (13811) for his service to his country.
A Statutory Declaration dated November 28, 1927 in which the labourer declared at Fleming Lane,
Brisbane, that his original military discharge had been lost in a fire five months previously in Blackall,
Qld in support of a duplicate discharge being issued to him. A duplicate for identification purposes was
issued on December 5th, 1927.
The R.S.S.A.I.L.A. sub-branch in Charters Towers, Qld wrote on his behalf on April 13, 1933 requesting
a copy of his discharge as his previous discharge had been burnt. Relevant circulars were forwarded on
April 19, 1933 to be completed. A Statutory Declaration declared in Charters Towers dated May 25,
1933 stated that he had lost his discharge through a fire at Longreach, Qld and not caused by his own
neglect.
On June 20, 1940 Alex Ferguson enlisted with the Australian Army during World War II in
Rockhampton, Qld. He gave his birth date and place as April 23, 1887 in Pretoria, South Africa. Nextof-kin was Emma Ferguson. He was assigned to the 1st Garrison Battalion with the service number
Q187702 and Military Discharge was issued on August 23, 1940.
The R.S.S.A.I.L.A Queensland Branch in Brisbane on December 6, 1941 applied on his behalf an
application for a duplicate discharge to be sent to his address care of J. Martin, Anzac House, Brisbane.
The declaration stated that he had lost his discharge due to a bush fire going through his camp and
destroying his belongings. A copy was issued on December 18, 1941.
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