John Alexander Ferguson

1894 - 1917  (23 years)

• Name	John Alexander Ferguson
  Born	1 Sep 1894	Armstrong Mills, Wellington Co., Ontario   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Interesting	life story, military
  Military	WW1 - Private - 5th Regiment Canadian Mounted Rifles  [2]
  Occupation	1911	Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  	Laborer, Furniture Factory
  Residence	1911	Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  	Methodist
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-24191
  Died	30 Oct 1917	, Belgium
  Buried	Menin Gate (Ypres) Memorial, Ieper, , West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
  Person ID	I24191	Generations
  Last Modified	6 Apr 2024

  
  

  Father	Alexander Maxwell Ferguson,   b. Sep 1863, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Mother	Olive Laker,   b. Dec 1848, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F186292	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  MAN WHO PULLED DOWN KAISER'S BUST IS KILLED Toronto, Nov. 17 - Pte. John Alexander who became famous at the beginning of the war when he tied a rope around the bust of Kaiser Wilhelm at Berlin, now Kitchener, Ontario and dragged it into a pond was killed in action October 30th. Ferguson enlisted at Guelph. He was to have furlough at Chrtistimas to wed an English girl. Kitchener Daily Telegraph 17 Nov. 1917 __________________________ Johnny Ferguson, When Johnny was about ten years old his people came to Doon and lived in the old Weaver house. He had one sister. He had been born with a very rough skin; so rough that the children called him "Alligator". He would reply "Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me". No doubt where he lived before coming to Doon the children had been just as cruel. But Johnny could throw a ball farther than any of the boys and could run faster. We children all wanted him on our team, when we played ball or "Run Sheep Run." As he had a walk about a quarter of mile alone after leaving his playmates he was asked aren't you afraid. No was his answer "I always whistle and sing so loudly I cannot hear any other noise and I guess I scare everything away". The family moved in a few years and we didn't hear of Johnny again until he enlisted in the Great War and while training with other soldiers in Berlin he broke the head of Kaise Wihlelm of the statute in Victoria Park and threw it in the lake. He was killed in action overseas Tweedsmuir History Doon and Blair _____________________________ John Ferguson was one of the 3 militia members who pulled the bust down and that he later was killed in France. They were members of the local militia when they did the act and when they appeared in court a day or two later the judge said that if they enlisted to go overseas (militiamen were not overseas-eligible unless they joined a regular regiment) he would not proceed with the trial....they agreed, took the train to Toronto or Montreal or Valcartier, signed up...the other two Alan Smith and Fred Bolton survived and returned to Kitchener Email rych Mills

  
  

• Sources

  [S366] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo City - 1911, Div. 43 Pg. 1. [S2443] Canada, War Graves Registers (Circumstances of Casualty), 1914-1948, John Alexander Ferguson Death Date: 30 Oct 1917 Rank: Private Unit: 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles Service Number: 402308. "KILLED IN ACTION" During an attack at Passchendaele and shortly after his Battalion went" over the top," he was shot through the head by an enemy sniperts bullet and instantly killed.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 1 Sep 1894 - Armstrong Mills, Wellington Co., Ontario Occupation - Laborer, Furniture Factory - 1911 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Methodist - 1911 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 30 Oct 1917 - , Belgium Buried - - Menin Gate (Ypres) Memorial, Ieper, , West-Vlaanderen, Belgium  = Link to Google Earth