Enlistment #R97090 (posthumously promoted to rank of Pilot officer, thus being allocated a new service number: J-85171)
Sergeant Pilot – the rank of Pilot Officer was awarded posthumously:
Although William ‘Bill’ Kennedy Ferguson’s name is on the Strathroy cenotaph, he never lived in Strathroy. His family re-located from Peterborough to Strathroy in the year following his death in France, and brought their memories of him with them. It was three years after his death, and they were already living in Strathroy, that his family learned where he was buried and the circumstances of his death.
“William Kennedy Ferguson was born on February 29, 1920 in Peterborough, Ontario to William Lauder Ferguson and Mary Sophia Hannah Ferguson. He had dark hair, and was called “Bill” by his family and friends. He was the oldest of six children. His younger siblings were Robert, James, Mary, Jean and Donald. His father William worked for a carpet company in Peterborough for several years, and in 1943, he purchased the Strathroy Woolen Mills from the Butler Family. The rest of the family moved to Front St. East, Strathroy the following year. William went to grade school in Peterborough and he attended Peterborough Collegiate Institute.
He enjoyed playing basketball and baseball, and was very involved in the Y.M.C.A. After completing his education, he worked in the insurance business. William was not married.
William enlisted in the Prince of Wales Rangers (Peterborough Regiment) in August 1940 and was posted to “A Company” with a service number C461060. On March 1st 1941 (one day after his 21st birthday) he travelled from Peterborough to Toronto and volunteered in the R.C.A.F. and was enlisted as an Aircraftman Class 2 (lowest rank in the RCAF). Is new service number was R97090, a number he maintained until his rank was changed (along with his service number) after he was killed.
He was awarded his pilot’s wings at No. 2 SFTS Uplands, Ontario on December 19, 1941 and posted overseas soon after. He was posted as a Sergeant Pilot in #401 Ram Squadron in June 1942.
[Source: “The Last Flight of Sergeant Ferguson Crash In Bayeux”, Francois Oxéant, derameau@comever.com, www.crashin bayeux.com]
He flew a Spitfire F IX powered by a Merlin 61 engine. This particular aircraft serial EN183 coded ‘YO-V’ was first flown on November 9th, 1942 and issued to the #401 squadron on November 26, 1942.
“Bill” was killed in action on January 15, 1943 during a mission 2 miles east of Bayeux, France. He was conducting low level machine gun attacks (strafing) on the locomotive of an enemy train (Ramrod Attack) when his Spitfire aircraft #EN 183 was shot at and brought down by Flak near saint-Martin-des-Entreés, Normandy, France. His plane is reported to have been shot off course and to have hit some nearby trees before crashing. It is reported that the aircraft had 40.25 flying hours at the time of his crash, but William Ferguson had over 230 flying hours recorded in his log book.
[Source: “The Last Flight of Sergeant Ferguson Crash In Bayeux”, Francois Oxéant, derameau@comever.com, www.crashin bayeux.com]
He was 22 years old when he died and he is the only serviceman buried in the St. Germain Cemetery in the small village of St. Martindes- Entrees in France (see photos below). When the local resistance movement filled the cemetery with mourners, the Nazis had them hand over their papers and eventually, on Valentines day arrested dozens of town folk. Some were held and beaten. 10 others were sent to concentration camps. Five did not return. This speaks highly of the local citizens and their commitment to support the efforts of the Allies, and this Canadian pilot in particular!
Sergeant Ferguson was posthumously commissioned and promoted to the rank of Pilot Officer.
In 1994 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of D-Day, the people of this village renamed their main street “Rue W.K. Ferguson” in William’s honour. Family members were present for the ceremony.”
[Sources: Strathroy Museum & fallenheroesphotos.org]
William Ferguson’s Burial Plot at the St. Germain Cemetery
William Ferguson’s Memorial Monument in the Strathroy Cemetery
“The aircraft was diving on a train and never pulled out. Both wings were torn away when the Spitfire hit the top of the trees along the railroad track. Then the main part of the a/c hit the ground and ‘blew up’. ” [Note by author, “Fox”, of this book]
The cockpit was found at one place, the powerplant was recovered at a distance of about 200 metres (according to local witnesses).
Francois Oxeant, who lives in France, has provided several corrections to the facts on this web page. He has written a book about William Ferguson, titled Crash in Bayeux – The Last Flight of Sergeant Ferguson.
(ISBN 10-91044-13-4) – www.facebook.com/crashinbayeux.
Thank you, Francois for your additions!!!
“Royal Air Force fighter aircraft, maximum speed for mark I Supermarine Spitfire, 362mph up to The Seafire 47 with a top speed of 452mph. maximum ceiling for Mk I 34,000feet up to 44,500 for the mark XIV. Maximum range for MK I 575 miles . up to 1475 miles for the Seafire 47. Armament for the various Marks of Spitfire. for MK I, and II . eight fixed .303 browning Machine guns, for MKs V-IX and XVI two 20mm Hispano cannons and four .303 browning machine guns. and on later Marks, six to eight Rockets under the wings or a maximum bomb load of 1,000 lbs. Designed by R J Mitchell, The proto type Spitfire first flew on the 5th March 1936. and entered service with the Royal Air Force in August 1938, with 19 squadron based and RAF Duxford. by the outbreak of World war two, there were twelve squadrons with a total of 187 spitfires, with another 83 in store. Between 1939 and 1945, a large variety of modifications and developments produced a variety of MK,s from I to XVI. The mark II came into service in late 1940, and in March 1941, the Mk,V came into service. To counter the Improvements in fighters of the Luftwaffe especially the FW190, the MK,XII was introduced with its Griffin engine. The Fleet Air Arm used the Mk,I and II and were named Seafires. By the end of production in 1948 a total of 20,351 spitfires had been made and 2408 Seafires. The most produced variant was the Spitfire Mark V, with a total of 6479 spitfires produced. The Royal Air Force kept Spitfires in front line use until April 1954.”
[Source: wikipedia]
[Sources:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Ferguson&GSfn=William&GSmn=Kennedy&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=51049659&df=all
Francois Oxeant: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=mr&MRid=48027073]
Some URL links to youtube videos of Spitfire Mk IX aircraft:
Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX MH434 (3:30)
Spitfire Mk IX (9:39)
Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk IX TA805 (7:47)
Spitfire Mk 9 (2:34)
Strathroy Woolen Mills – 1938 fire insurance map
Butler Woolen Mill 1938