2/Lt Alexander Bancroft Fergie, 1/4th Loyal North Lancs

[Mark Hone]

While researching Bury Grammar old boy Ernest Howarth, 18th Manchesters, who was killed on 30th July 1916, I came across his friend Corporal  A.B. Fergie, who wrote a letter of condolence to his parents which was quoted in the 'Bury Times'. Thanks to the excellent Manchester Regiment Forum it has been established that this was Alexander Bancroft Fergie from Longsight, Manchester, who was subsequently commissioned in 1/4th Loyal North Lancs and died in September 1917 during Third Ypres. He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial. I wonder if any Pal might have come across a photograph of this officer which I could use in my obituary of Ernest Howarth?

[cmf]

Hi Mark,

 

I did a quick newspaper archive search for Fergie, and found him referenced in the 'Manchester Evening News', of Tuesday, 2nd October, 1917, p2. No photo unfortunately, but I wondered if you knew about the information therein:

 

LATEST CASUALTIES.

 

HEAVIER LOSSES AMONG LOCAL OFFICERS.

 

Casualties among officers reported to-day Include the following:

 

KILLED.

 

Sec.-Lieut.  A. B. FERGIE, L.N. Lancashire Regiment, killed September 20, the only son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Fergie, Lightbowne, Manchester. He joined one of the Manchester City battalions, and was mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig's despatch last May. He was gazetted in July, and before leaving for France the following month married Miss Clara Howarth, of Longsight. Before the war he was a departmental manager to Messrs. J. & J. W. Mallalieu, Mill-street, Manchester. He was secretary of St. Paul's Sunday school, Newton Heath.

 

Rgds,

 

Chris

[Mark Hone]

Thanks for that. At first I thought he might have married one of Ernest Howarth's sisters but none were called Clara (and they weren't from Longsight). Howarth is a common local surname. 

[Mostonian]

Hiya Mark, a bit late I know, but just a little bit more on Alexander Fergie. He wasn't from Longsight, his wife was. He lived at 79 Lightbowne Road, Moston, Manchester in 1911 with his parents and sisters.

[johnmelling1979]

Here is  the war diary report -

 

20th September. At 10 50 a.m. the enemy was reported massing for a counterattack
in the vicinity of NILE and FOKKER FARMS, but nothing except heavy
shelling materialised on our front. Soon after 1 p.m. various S.O.S.'s were sent
up, and apparently local counter-attacks, without any success, were launched on
both our flanks.
In the afternoon an effort was made to reorganise the Battalion, which was
now reported to consist of only four Officers and 60 rifles in the firing line. The
right Battalion frontage was now being held by a mixed line of the 1 4th Royal
Lancaster Regiment and the 1 4th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, stiffened by
two Companies of the 1 /5th Royal Lancaster Regiment, who, as Battalion in Brigade
reserve, and detailed to assist in the capture of the objective and to deal with any
hostile counter-attack, had dug themselves in on a line in rear of our consolidated
positions.
About 7 p.m. an Officers' patrol went forward to reconnoitre KEIR FARM
and discover whether it was held by the enemy. This patrol, however, did not
succeed in its objective and lost its way, and the project had to be postponed till the
following morning.
As soon as darkness allowed, an effort was made to examine our positions and
to find out whether measures for defence were complete. They were found to be
held by at least six Lewis guns, while there were in all four machine guns, two of
which were German, and proved very useful against the enemy.
During the night patrols were sent out, and a further effort made to find the
defences of KEIR FARM. KEIR FARM was not identified, and it was therefore
assumed that it no longer existed as a concrete defence. No signs' of the enemy
were seen. The night passed without incident, though shelling on both sides was
maintained fairly consistently.
Casualties :
—
Officers :—Killed—Captain F. W. S. Baker (Commanding B Company),
Second Lieutenant A. B. Fergie.
Wounded—Captain R. H. Tautz, M.C. (Commanding C Company),
Second Lieutenant E. G. Baker (Commanding A Company),
Second Lieutenant A. P. Smith, Second Lieutenant
H. Dance, Second Lieutenant J. Oldham, Second Lieutenant
R. Grisedale, Second Lieutenant A. Martin, Second
Lieutenant B. Myers, Second Lieutenant C. B. Holmes
(died of wounds, 28th September, 1917).
Other Ranks .-—Killed 23, Wounded 161, Missing 11 ; Total 195.
Four Other Ranks reinforcements from base.

[johnmelling1979]

And the platoon report -

 

In No. 9, at nightfall, Mr. Fergie, Mr. Holmes, and two Sergeants went forward
to reconnoitre a forward position. The two Officers were struck by a shell and
were both very badly wounded. Lance-Corporal Anderton took over command.
Private Pendlebury was wounded on the afternoon of the 23rd for the third time.
C Company Commander (Captain Tautz) was wounded at the first pause.
 

[johnmelling1979]

August 1917

 

On the 5th we marched to ABEELE, where we entrained and travelled via
ST. OMER and WATTEN to AUDRUICQ, arriving there about 5 p.m. Here we
found lurries waiting to take us to our new billeting area, AUDREHEM, a pleasant
village just big enough to hold us.

 

On the 7th, Second Lieutenant Holden came back from attachment to the
R.E.'s with 23 Other Ranks, and Captain C. M. Denton and 34 Other Ranks reported
as reinforcements. During the next few days Captain Houghton, Second Lieutenant
Vincent and Second Lieutenant Swaine rejoined us and Major de Wend Fenton.
Second Lieutenant F. Shippobottom and Second Lieutenant A. B. Fergie reported
for duty along with nine Other Ranks, while on the 18th Second Lieutenant
J. Hailwood and A. Martin, and on the 21st Second Lieutenants A. H. Doleman,
S. A. H. Pruden, and Iners joined us, followed by Second Lieutenants H. W. C.
Griffiths, H. Dance, and J. Oldham on the 22nd.

[Mark Hone]

Thanks very much for this. I'll try to incorporate some of the details when I revise Ernest Howard's Roll of Honour entry.