pferguson | September 18, 2023
War and War Trophies Prior to the attack 533 British guns fired more than 250,000 shells during a four-day bombardment commencing 21 September 1915. At the time, the engagement was the largest Great War British offensive. The battle also marked the first use of gas by the British Army. Specialized units of the Royal Engineers […]
pferguson | October 28, 2022
George Findlater VC The National Army Museum (NAM) retains in its holdings some items related to Piper George Findlater who became a recipient of the Victoria Cross for his actions 20 October 1897 at the Battle of the Dargai Heights. Included in the NAM’s collection is a silver-plated statuette, Findlater’s smashed bagpipe chanter from Dargai, […]
pferguson | September 24, 2021
Gurkha VC Statue in Aldershot Learning of a new soldier Victoria Cross statue, to be unveiled on Saturday 25 September 2021, has brought back memories of my work with the Piper James Cleland Richardson VC Statue Committee in Chilliwack, B.C. Knowing the many hours it has taken working with a team dedicated to seeing the […]
pferguson | May 30, 2021
…which can sting if disturbed During the Great War the 25 battalions of the Royal Highlanders (Black Watch) lost 8,960 soldiers and more than 20,000 wounded. Their title, the Black Watch, is derived from the dark colour of their tartan and further honours the regiment’s original role as the watch of the Highlands. The regiment’s […]
pferguson | March 14, 2020
It has occurred, an unwanted centenary Following commemorations marking the days and events of the Great War Centenary, we now face the reappearance of an unwelcome 2020 visitor – a global pandemic. Mimicking the timing of the influenza pandemic of 1918 – 1920 we now have Coronavirus or COVID-19. The new virus first appeared towards […]
