56738: Murdo Ferguson

Murdo Ferguson (1907-1941) was a son of Murdo Ferguson and Bess Chisholm, 3 Lemreway. 

He enrolled in the Royal Naval Reserve, S/Ns AX12907, BX8188 and CX7136, on October 23, 1925. His record indicates that he was 5ft 4in tall with brown hair, grey eyes and a pale complexion. Murdo was a fisherman on Stornoway registered boats, including the Oceanic, the Ocean Searcher and the Daisy, until 1930 when he joined the Merchant Navy. He travelled to Haiti in the Pass of Melfort, home trade on the SS Balfron, Canada on the SS Blairmore, Russia on the SS British Scout, the MV British Motorist, the SS California and the SS Balfron, to Demerara on the SS Amakura, to the River Plate on the SS Nagara and to Australia on the MV Opawa.

Murdo was Mobilised on August 25, 1939 and served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. Based at HMS Drake and HMS Victory I he survived the sinking of HMS Comorin in April 1941 but was lost on HMS Puckeridge in December 1941. His name is commemorated on the Portsmouth War Memorial, Pairc War Memorial and Lewis War Memorial, Stornoway.