Old Owl Posted 18 May , 2011 Share Posted 18 May , 2011 Hi Paul, The info should be sat in your email inbox, hopefully!!! Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 18 May , 2011 Share Posted 18 May , 2011 Since the same family crest also applies to the Ferguson's of Kinmundy, couldn't this chap perhaps be who we're looking for? He was with the 1/9th Royal Scots and was killed at High Wood. Interestingly, Kinmundy is almost exactly halfway between Ellon and Inverurie. Name: FERGUSON, JAMES Initials: J Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Major Regiment/Service: Royal Scots Unit Text: 9th Bn. Age: 30 Date of Death: 22/07/1916 Additional information: Son of James and Georgina A. Ferguson, of Kinmundy, Aberdeenshire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Pier and Face 6 D and 7 D. Memorial: THIEPVAL MEMORIAL Cheers, Tim L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul@bolton Posted 18 May , 2011 Author Share Posted 18 May , 2011 Robert, Got it. Thanks. Tim, Could be a possibility. I guess we need to go back and look at where the battalions attacked in relation to where the item was found. Anyone have the battalion diaries for July 1916 for the 9th Btn Royal Scots and the Gordons?? Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eltoro1960 Posted 19 May , 2011 Share Posted 19 May , 2011 The 9th RS were invoved in a night attack on the 22nd/23rd July,1916 at High Wood. Major J Ferguson was the OC of B Company. They were allocated a sector front as follows S 4 a 1.8- S 3 b 7.8. I don't have access to Linesman until later but this seems to be pretty near where you found the case. Major Ferguson was seen to be hit during the attack along with 2 Lt Gibson and was posted missing in the morning, the attack was complete failure casualties were listed as Officers Major Moncrieff, Lt's Ballingal and Wardrop, 2 Lt Bentley and Lyall wounded, Major Ferguson and 2 Lt Gibson miising and wounded,Capt S Fraser,Lt W M Morris, 2 Lt J S Gellatly wounded. Other ranks Killed 7, Wounded 89,Missing 66. I will post the diary entry later and check Linesman, unless some else feels inclined to do so during the day. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 19 May , 2011 Admin Share Posted 19 May , 2011 I hate to be an alarmist but if this item belongs to who we think it does, he has no known grave. Did you note where you found it? I certainly hope the answer is yes. Daniel My thoughts exactly Daniel Michelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul@bolton Posted 19 May , 2011 Author Share Posted 19 May , 2011 John, A quick look at Ancestry shows that Major Ferguson was the son of another James Ferguson who was born at the village of Old Deer in Aberdeenshire. This is the nearest village to Mintlaw and Pitfaurs which was identified by Malcolm as the 'country seat' of the Fergusons of Pitfaurs to whom this crest/motto belonged. Also James (the father) was in 1901 the advocate sheriff of Argyl (living in Edinburgh). Although not well up on the Scottish legal system, I assume this makes him a VIP in the legal profession and from a family likely to own silverware. So it would appear that, given the location where they were killed, we have at least two candidates now! Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
towisuk Posted 19 May , 2011 Share Posted 19 May , 2011 For reference purposes.....from "Linesman" (ignore the faint cursor mark over the wood) regards Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Dunlop Posted 19 May , 2011 Share Posted 19 May , 2011 I was also near High Wood on that weekend, and am sorry I missed this remarkable find. I suspect this was down to the poor quality travelling companion . There was only one likely outcome from taking a New Zealander near to High Wood, especially when his grandfather was wounded near Flers. A visit to the New Zealand Memorial and a focus on the view in the opposite direction. No chance of finding anything near High Wood, let alone such a fine artefact . Still, it was great to lay the memorial cross so thanks for that.Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eltoro1960 Posted 19 May , 2011 Share Posted 19 May , 2011 Here is the 9th RS war diary and comparison maps for the night attack, you can see that it places Major Ferguson in the area of the find, teh form up area is not that far away, given that the withdrawal was made in the dark and in utter confusion / heavy gunfire. Not outwith the realms of possibility that he emerged from the wood in the 'wrong' place. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 19 May , 2011 Share Posted 19 May , 2011 It is indeed a Ferguson of Pitfaurs see http://calms.abdn.ac.uk/DServe/dserve.exe?dsqServer=Calms&dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqCmd=show.tcl&dsqSearch=%28RefNo==%22MS%203816%22%29 James Ferguson b.20 February 1886, son of James Ferguson and Georgina Anne Agnew, Major (Lieut. Colonel), 9th Royal Scots, killed in action 22 July 1916 and http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/arthur-charles-fox-davies/armorial-families--a-directory-of-gentlemen-of-coat-armour-hci/page-115-armorial-families--a-directory-of-gentlemen-of-coat-armour-hci.shtml Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 19 May , 2011 Share Posted 19 May , 2011 Royal Scots History. p307 Aye Malcolm p308 Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul@bolton Posted 20 May , 2011 Author Share Posted 20 May , 2011 Malcolm, Fascinating stuff. Am I right in reading this that Major Ferguson would have been the seventh laird of Kinmundy, had he survived his father? And therefore quite likely to be carrying something with the family crest and motto on it. The website showing the various Ferguson coats of arms has the same address for James Ferguson (10 Wemyss Place, Edinburgh) with the exact coat of arms found at High Wood. it is also the address shown in the 1901 census for the family (although the future Major Ferguson is not present - perhaps at school?). From the various maps and war diary extracts kindly provided by John, it appears that he should have been on the other side of High Wood! I would like to know where the other candidate - Alexander Ferguson - and the 4th Gordons were attacking. To the right of the 9th Royal Scots but where? Does anyone have a photograph of Major James Ferguson? Thank you all for your help so far in building up this picture. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 20 May , 2011 Share Posted 20 May , 2011 Paul, I wouldn't put too much credence on the 'planned' route of attack. Quite obviously from the descriptions, the regiments got divided by devastating shelling and machine gun fire and it wouldn't take too much to wander off in the wrong direction. It also seems that Major James Ferguson was listed as 'wounded and missing' indicating that someone reported seeing him hit but not dead. If that's the case, after being wounded he may have wandered off in the direction of the find while trying to regain his own lines. Given the two, I'd be favouring Major James Ferguson. He has the established links to the family whose crest appears on the silver container. Cheers, Tim L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 20 May , 2011 Share Posted 20 May , 2011 I concur with Tim. James Ferguson is my bet too. It may be worth finding out from a lawyer (no, don't panic!) and I have a friend coming tonight who is a former President of the Law Society of Scotland. I'll ask him his opinion for you. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 20 May , 2011 Share Posted 20 May , 2011 The Somme day by day account shows the 4th Gordons attacking the area of your find. I'm confused, does anyone have a proper map? Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 24 May , 2011 Share Posted 24 May , 2011 Hi, My friend's suggestion is that you contact the news section of the Faculty of Advocates see http://www.advocates.org.uk/contactus.html They will know all the details of Aberdeenshire lawyers and Judges. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest danieljksn Posted 5 October , 2011 Share Posted 5 October , 2011 I think that my Great Uncle Matthew Feeney Ellison was killed at around the place and time being discussed here. He died on the 25th of July, 1916, and was, I believe, in the 9th battalion of the royal scots. Does anyone have any more information about what that battalion was doing on the 25th of July? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotlad Posted 10 July , 2012 Share Posted 10 July , 2012 It looks like quite a few scots battalions went through that area in late July early August, in cluding atleast 2 of the 51st Highland Divisions Brigades. The 5th Battalion of the Gordon's sent an attack n.e through the corn field ( along the s.e side of High Wood on the night of the 30th-31st but as far as i could see they didn't reach the s.e tip where the find was. My wife's uncle went missing in the corn field that night. The 2nd A & S Highlanders put in an attack through that area on 18th August? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flintwich Posted 10 July , 2012 Share Posted 10 July , 2012 My Gran's Uncle was killed in front of High Wood on 3rd August 1916. He was in 1/8th Royal Scots, a pioneer battalion of the 51st Brigade. Seems he was killed working on one of the trenches, possibly Thistle Alley. A great find and some good research done by GWF members. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOVE23 Posted 10 July , 2012 Share Posted 10 July , 2012 I too am interested in this discovery. Has there been any more progress in discovering the owner and his family? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 11 July , 2012 Share Posted 11 July , 2012 Hi all, I haven't heard any more about this although I did alert the Law Society about it. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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