Born: 19 September 1887, Bingley
Died: 29 November 1918, India
Buried:
Address: 7 Park Grove, Shipley
Parents: John William & Mary Ellen, nee Smith
Spouse: Florence Christina, nee Smith
Siblings:
Occupation:
Organisations/clubs:
Military
Rank: Cpl Air Mechanic
Medals/awards:
Rolls of Honour: St Peter’s, Shipley - Karachi War Memorial
Children:
Regiment: Royal Flying Corps
Gordon Archer Ferguson
Gordon Archer Ferguson was born
at Bingley on 19th September
1887, son of John William
Ferguson, a commercial traveller,
and his wife, Mary Ellen (nee
Smith) and baptised on 6th May
1888.
Gordon’s father subsequently
became a cab proprietor and later a
manager of livery stables, carriage
company and motor cars.
In 1911 Gordon was a motor car
driver, employed by his father,
living at 11 Moorhead Avenue,
Shipley.
On 26th September 1912, Gordon
married Florence Christina Smith at
Saltaire.
Gordon enlisted in the Royal
Flying Corps on 26th July 1916 and
was stationed in India from 24th
September 1916.
Royal Air Force
He was appointed Air Mechanic
Class 1 on 1st March 1918 and
transferred to the Royal Air Force
when it was formed on 1st April
1918.
On 1st November 1918 Gordon
was appointed acting, unpaid
Corporal Mechanic. Gordon died of
appendicitis, in India, on 29th
November 1918 and is
commemorated on the Karachi
1914-1918 War Memorial. He was
awarded the Victory medal and the
British War medal.
At the time of Gordon’s death, his
parents were living at Stairfoot,
Cottingley, while Gordon’s home
address was 7 Park Grove, Shipley.
Researched and written by Clive
Harrison to whom many thanks
The following report appeared in the Shipley
Times & Express on 3 January 1919:
A cablegram confirms the death on 29th
November in India of Cpl Gordon Archer
Ferguson, a first air mechanic in the R.A.F. and
second son of Mr and Mrs J W Ferguson of
Cottingley, for many years resident at Bingley
Road, Shipley.
The deceased who was 31 years of age leaves a
wife and child who loved at 7 Park Grove,
Shipley, and the latter was born during the time
he was on his way to India, where he contracted
enteric fever a year ago.
His death, which was due to appendicitis, is a
great blow to his father, who is well known as
having been the principal of a carriage and
motor company at Saltaire.
The deceased was making considerable progress
in connection with the business when he joined
the R.A.F. in 1916 and at his station in India he
had full charge of the testing of aeroplane
engines.
He went out to India in the September of 1916
and was on duty there up to the time of his
death which will be regretted by a large circle of
people in this district where he was very
popular.
His younger brother, Sgt William A Ferguson, is
in France wit the R.N.A.S. which he joined
three years ago.
