Ferguson, Donald Maxwell
1070 Private Donald Maxwell Ferguson - 3rd Battalion Imperial Camel Corps
Donald Maxwell Ferguson was born in Fremantle on the 18th September 1893 to John Maxwell and Grace Ferguson. He was one of fourteen siblings and half siblings in the family.
His father, Captain John Maxwell Ferguson was a MP for North Fremantle in the early 1900's. John Ferguson had arrived in WA in the 1860's and set up a successful timber and milling business in Fremantle. The family had lived in Arundel Street Fremantle and he had his head office of his business in Phillimore Street Fremantle.
In 1903 he was a member of the Legislative Assembly representing North Fremantle. However he was defeated by Harry Bolton in 1904.
The family then moved to Claremont Avenue in Claremont and John was heavily involved with Scotch College. The Ferguson's then moved to Mt Lawley.
Donald had initially been educated in Fremantle and then Scotch College in Claremont. After leaving school he worked for his father. Prior to the Great War Donald was working as a Stockman in the North West of WA.
On the 20th April 1915 John enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for enlistment, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 6 inches tall;
Weight - 148 lbs;
Chest Measurement - 34-36 inches;
Complexion - Medium Fair;
Eyes - Brown;
Hair - Light Brown.
Upon his successful enlistment Donald was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp and was assigned to the 2nd Depot Squadron. Donald had requested to join the Light Horse and so was put through riding tests and other horsemanship duties. He was then assigned to the 8th Reinforcements to the 10th Light Horse Regiment.
However as his brother Andrew was then with the 6th Reinforcements, Donald managed to get a transfer into this group.
On the 25th June 1915 Donald and his reinforcement group left Fremantle Harbour aboard the transport ship HMAT Karoola. The ship then set sail for Egypt, arriving there in July 1915.
Donald spent the next several weeks in Egypt and then joined the 10th Light Horse Regiment on Gallipoli on the 2nd October 1915. He served with his unit at Gallipoli for the next two months. However on the 2nd December 1915 Donald reported ill with dysentery. It must have been a severe case as he was evacuated to hospital at Lemnos. He spent around three weeks at No.3 Australian General Hospital there before being transferred to Malta.
He was admitted to St David's Hospital in Malta and remained a patient there till the 7th January 1916. Donald was then sent via transport ship back to Egypt. On the 11th January 1916 he was admitted to No.2 Convalescent Camp at Heliopolis.
While he was in hospital Gallipoli had been evacuated and the 10th Light Horse returned to Egypt. On the 22nd January 1916 Donald rejoined the 10th Light Horse Regiment. Donald served with this regiment in Egypt through to July 1916.
On the 17th July 1916 he was evacuated to hospital suffering from venereal disease. He was admitted to the 17th General Hospital in Alexandria where he remained till the 28th August 1916. He was then sent to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade Training Regiment.
On the 1st September 1916 Donald was then transferred to the Imperial Camel Corps and was then taken on strength of No.3 Company. He would serve with them at Magdhaba in December 1916 and Rafa in January 1917. The Australian and British then advanced towards Gaza and in April a large battle was fought to capture this city.
On the 19th April 1917 the 3rd Battalion Imperial Camel Corps was heavily involved in the attempt to capture Gaza. Despite the men' bravery the attack did not succeed and they had to then withdraw. During the action Donald was severely wounded when shrapnel hit him in the head, shoulder and arm.
He was initially treated at the Camel Corps Field Ambulance and from there was transported to the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station at Deir-el-Belah. More treatment was given and then Donald was sent to the 24th Stationary Hospital in Cairo.
On arrival at this hospital his condition was listed as dangerously wounded. On the 4th May 1917 Donald was transferred to the 14th Australian General Hospital at Abbassia near Cairo. On the 13th May 1917 Donald was pronounced out of immediate danger and he remained at No.14 AGH till July 1917.
On the 11th July 1917 Donald was sent aboard the transport ship Port Sydney and shipped back to Australia, arriving at Fremantle on the 14th August 1917. After being disembarked Donald was sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle for more medical treatment.
Donald was discharged from the AIF on the 15th February 1918. He was initially granted a military pension of 60/- per fortnight.
Donald then returned home to Mt Lawley to recuperate.
Sadly his mother died on the 20th October 1919 in Perth.
In the early 1920's Donald took up the life of a farmer near Collie. He worked a farm at Glenorchy on the Arthur River.
Donald married on the 2nd October 1923 to Eileen Elsie Armstrong.
A son Lindsay was born in 1924, followed by Noel in 1925, Joan in 1928 and John in 1931.
The family continued to live in the Donnybrook district through the 1930's.
Donald served again in World War Two (W70119). In 1942 he enlisted and was accepted for service with the 5th Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps in the Perth and Busselton and Bunbury regions region. He was appointed a Lieutenant and was discharged in May 1943. He then re-enlisted (W53944) and served through to 1944 with the 29th Garrison Battalion.
After his discharge he then returned to his role as a Roads Board Inspector.
Donald died in Bridgetown WA on the 13th January 1947 aged 53. He was buried in Karrakatta Cemetery plot Anglican WB 0408.
During the Great War his brother Allan Wedderburn Ferguson who had been born in Fremantle also enlisted and had been assigned to the Engineers, but before leaving WA sought a discharge as he was due to return to his Engineering firm in South America. Allan's discharge was granted so he never served overseas with the Australian Imperial Force. He lived the rest of his live in South America.
An elder brother John who had been born in Perth had seen service in the Boer War and also during WW1 at Gallipoli with the field artillery and then the 10th Light Horse. He returned to WA in 1916.