Norman FERGUSON

FERGUSON, Norman

Service Number: 2316
Enlisted: 30 March 1916, Wangaratta, Victoria
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 37th Infantry Battalion
Born: Bobinwarrah, Victoria, Australia, March 1889
Home Town: Bobinawarrah, Wangaratta, Victoria
Schooling: Bobinwarrah Public School, Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia
Occupation: Farmer
Died: Killed in Action, Passchendaele, Belgium, 12 October 1917
Cemetery: Poelcapelle British Cemetery
Plot XXXIII, Row E, Grave No. 12.,
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Bobinawarrah Hurdle Creek State School No 2536 and Residents Pictorial HR, Holbrook War Memorial, Oxley War Memorial
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World War 1 Service

30 Mar 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2316, Wangaratta, Victoria
20 Oct 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2316, 37th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Lincoln embarkation_ship_number: A17 public_note: ''
20 Oct 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2316, 37th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Port Lincoln, Melbourne
12 Oct 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2316, 37th Infantry Battalion, 1st Passchendaele

Obituary - The Argus, Melbourne - Saturda7 1/6/1918

"DIED ON SERVICE FERGUSON.
Killed in action, on the 12th October, 1917 (previously reported missing), No.2316, Private Norman Ferguson, 37th Battalion, aged 28 years; No.2317, Private Thomas Louden Ferguson, 37th Battalion, died of wounds on the 9th April, 1918 (previously reported wounded), aged 24 years, dearly loved sons of Mrs. Ferguson and the late Hugh Ferguson, Bobinawarrah and loving brothers of the late Jack, Val. (killed at Gallipoli), George (on active service), Andrew, Grace, and Margaret.
Never the lotus closes.
Never the wildfowl wake,
But a soul goes out on the east wind
That died for England's sake."

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Hugh Ferguson senior - obituary Wednesday 18/12/1914 - Wangaratta Chronicle

Wangaratta Chronicle, Vic. - Wednesday, 18 December 1914.
DEATHS OF OLD RESIDENTS
MR HUGH FERGUSON,
BOBINAWARRAH.
The death occurred on Sunday morning at his home, "Graceville," Bobinawarrah, of Mr. Hugh Ferguson. For three years past Mr. Ferguson had been in failing health and death was due to anaemia, He had had the attention of several doctors, and also the benefit of the services of a trained nurse, in addition he was attentively cared for by Mrs Ferguson. The late Mr. Ferguson was 60 years of age and the eldest son of the late Mr. and Mrs John Ferguson of Milawa, who were amongst the earliest and most highly respected settlers in that district. He was born at Collingwood and with his parents went to Stanley where they lived for a few years, and fifty years ago removed to Bobinawarrah where Mr. Ferguson, Senr. took up land, naming the homestead "Graceville". There the family was reared and in later years Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson removed to Milawa, and the subject of this obituary having married Miss Janet Kerr of Milawa, took over the homestead, and resided at "Graceville" till the time of his death. Mr. Hugh Ferguson was of a quiet and unassuming disposition and by his pleasant and genial ways won the esteem and respect of everyone who came in contact with him; and so his death has been heard of with regret by his large circle of acquaintances. He was a splendid neighbour and useful resident to the district. He was a worthy member of the fine Ferguson family and much sympathy is felt
for Mrs Ferguson and the children in their bereavement. Mr. Ferguson carried on farming, grazing and dairying with success, a result due to his careful application of the sound grounding he received In his younger days from his father who was a fine stamp of the early pioneer. He was a lover of horses and bred many good and valuable animals. He was.a keen admirer of trotting horses and bred several which he sold at high prices and which afterwards won in good company in this district and other parts of the State. Amongst those he kept was Honest Lass, which has performed well. Mr. Ferguson took apart in district movements and always helped with his services and money any thing that was calculated to benefit the district. He was a director of' the successful Milawa Co-operative Butter Factory for many years and was a member of the Board of Management of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Milawa for twenty years, retiring from both those bodies recently on account of his health.
Besides Mrs Ferguson a family of six sons and two daughters survive, namely:-Jack, Norman, Hugh Valentine, Thomas Louder, George and Andrew Kerr and Misses Margaret and Grace Joan, all of whom reside at Bobinawarrah. The brothers and sisters of deceased are - Messrs Geo. W. and James Ferguson, Milawa; Mr. Douglas Ferguson, Bobinawarrah; Mrs J. G. Gardner, Milawa; Mrs. J. Henley, South Yarra; Mrs. W. Gray, Brunswick.
The funeral took place on Monday afternoon when the,remains were interred in the Milawa cemetery. The cortege, which consisted of sixty vehicles and a number of horsemen, was a very representative one. The burial service was read by the Rev. Mr. Jones and the funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr. G. V. Steele. The coffin bearers were four sons of deceased, viz., Messrs J. N., H. V., and T. L. Ferguson."

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Biography

Father Hugh FERGUSON (b. 5/6/1853 Adelaide SA - d.13/12/1914 Milawa VIC) and
Mother Janet (known as Jean, nee KERR)-(b. 19/3/1858 Snake Valley VIC - 6/5/1939 Wangaratta, VIC)
living at Bobinwarrah, Wangaratta, Victoria

Wife  Myrtle Rosina Ferguson (nee Culph), pregnant (1916);
living at the family farm, Bobinawarrah, Victoria.

Siblings:
Sister        Margaret Ferguson  (b. 13/9/1885 Oxley VIC - d. 1951 Camberwell VIC)
Brother     John Ferguson  (b. 28/9/1887 Oxley VIC - d. lockjaw 25/1/1918 Wangaratta VIC)
                m. Elizabeth Ruby Culph
                c1. Hugh Valentine Ferguson (b. 23/1/1917 Wangaratta VIC - d. 1979 Yarra VIC)
                c2. John Andrew Ferguson (b. 1918 - d. 1993 Wangaratta VIC)
Himself     Norman Ferguson  (b. 1889 Oxley VIC - d. 12/10/1917 France)
                m. Myrtle Rosina Culph
                c1. Thomas Ferguson (b. 25/4/1917 - d. 3/11/1972)
Himself     Hugh Valentine Ferguson
Brother     Thomas Louden Ferguson  (b. 9/4/1893 - d. 9/4/1918 France)
Brother     George Ferguson  (b. 12/7/1895 Oxley, VIC - 1989)
                m. Mary Earl Seymour (b. 9/7/1892 Adelaide, SA - 1976 Wangaratta, VIC)
                c1. Janet Mary Ferguson (b. 22/7/1932 NSW - d. 21/12/1983 Cohuna, VIC)
Sister        Grace Jeannie Ferguson  (b. 11/9/1897 Oxley VIC - d. _____)
                m. ____ Connors
                c1.  John Valentine Connors (b. 12/1/1922 - d. 18/7/1977)
Brother     Andrew Kerr Ferguson (b. 16/8/1900 Wangaratta VIC - d. 30/4/1975 Frankston VIC)
                m. Grace Marjory Swinton (b. 1901 Warnambool VIC - d. 29/11/1984 Bendigo VIC)
                c1. Marjory Ann Ferguson

Next of kin in service:
Brother      1021 Private Hugh Valentine Ferguson  (24 years old)
                  24th Battalion
                  10/5/1915 embarked (with George) on board HMAT A14 Euripides
                  19/11/1915  killed in action, Dardanelles, Gallipoli
                  no known grave
                  his name is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial, Turkey

Brother      2317 Private Thomas Louden Ferguson (22 years old)
                  D Company, 37th Battalion
                  9/4/1918  killed in action, Somme
buried in:    Mericourt L'Abbe Communal Cemetery Extension - (died 25 years old)
                  (Plot II, Row F, Grave No. 11), France

Brother      1027 Private George Ferguson (19 years old) - 24th Battalion
                  ** (note he previously had service #1095 when with 23rd Battalion)
                 10/5/1915  embarked (with Hugh) on board HMAT A14 Euripides
                 6/6/1918    Returned to Australia
                 14/8/1918  discharged from service in AIF on compassionate discharge
                 25/3/1989   George passed away
                 buried in:    Milawa Cemetery, Milawa, Victoria

Norman was described as 27 years old; married;
Presbyterian

30/3/1916          Enlisted at Wangaratta, Victoria (aged 27 years with younger brother Thomas 24 years)

20/10/1916        Embarked from Port Melbourne, on board HMAT A17 Port Lincoln (with Thomas #2317)
                         as a Private in 4th reinforcements, 37th Battalion (B Company)

 

12/10/1917        killed in action at Passchendaele Ridge, Belgium
buried in:           Poelcapelle British Cemetery - (died 28 years old)
                        (Plot XXXIII, Row E, Grave No. 12), Belgium

Medals:

Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan.  6/5/2015.  Lest we forget.

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