Three: Private C. C. Ferguson, 1st Battalion, Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, who was killed in action at the Battle of Nonne Boschen, during the First Battle of Ypres, on 11 November 1914

1914 Star (9583 Pte. C. Ferguson. Cam’n: Highrs.); British War and Victory Medals (9583 Pte. C. C. Ferguson. Cam’n Highrs.) extremely fine (3) £200-£240

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Barry Hobbs Collection of Great War Medals.

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Charles Craig Ferguson was born c.1892 in Govan, Glasgow, Lanarkshire and attested for the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders at Glasgow in 1913. He served with the 1st Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front, arriving at Havre on 14 August 1914 with the original British Expeditionary Force.

Deployed to serve as Army Troops attached to General Headquarters, Headquarters 1st Army and Headquarters 2nd Army, Ferguson’s battalion took part in the Retreat from Mons in this capacity. Relieved from duties with the General Headquarters in early September, it became part of 1st Brigade, 1st Division and engaged the enemy at the Marne and the Aisne, taking part in heavy fighting at the Chemin des Dames. Having continued to see costly engagements throughout October at Ypres, Langemarck and Gheluvelt, the 1st Cameron Highlanders were moved to trenches around Veerbeek Farm where, on the night of 11 November, they faced the final German attempt to break through the British lines around Ypres. This attack, preceded by a prolonged and heavy artillery bombardment, was mostly turned back by accurate British rifle fire but the Prussian Guard emerging from the morning mist, succeeded in breaking through the lines of the British 1st Guards Brigade (Scots Guards, Cameron Highlanders and Black Watch) in a rare bayonet attack. Accurate artillery fire and isolated points of British resistance then took any further momentum out of the Germans who withdrew into the Nonne Boschen woods, thus giving this battle, the last major German offensive of First Ypres, its name.

Initially reported missing, Private Ferguson was later confirmed among the 137 men of the Battalion to be killed on 11 November 1914. He was the son of Mr and Mrs Thomas Ferguson of 8 Mathieson St., Govan, Glasgow and, having no known grave, is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.