Brigadier The Right Honourable
The Lord Ballantrae
KT, GCMG, GCVO, DSO, OBE
Fergusson in 1963
10th Governor-General of New Zealand
In office
9 November 1962 – 20 October 1967
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterKeith Holyoake
Preceded byThe Viscount Cobham
Succeeded byThe Lord Porritt
Personal details
Born(1911-05-06)6 May 1911
Died28 November 1980(1980-11-28) (aged 69)
London, England
NationalityBritish
ChildrenGeorge Fergusson
Parent
RelativesDavid Boyle, 7th Earl of Glasgow (grandfather)
Sir James Fergusson (grandfather)
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Branch/serviceBritish Army
Years of service1931–1958
RankBrigadier
UnitBlack Watch
Commands1st Battalion, Black Watch
16th Infantry Brigade
Battles/warsArab revolt in Palestine
Second World War
Palestine Emergency
AwardsDistinguished Service Order
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Mentioned in Despatches

Brigadier Bernard Edward Fergusson, Baron Ballantrae, KT, GCMG, GCVO, DSO, OBE (6 May 1911 – 28 November 1980)[1] was a British Army officer and military historian. He became the last British-born governor-general of New Zealand.

Early life and family

Fergusson was the third son and fourth child of Sir Charles Fergusson, 7th Baronet, and his wife Lady Alice Mary Boyle, a daughter of David Boyle, 7th Earl of Glasgow. His older brother was Sir James Fergusson, 8th Baronet, of Kilkerran. Both of his grandfathers had previously served as governors of New Zealand and his father had served as governor-general.

On 22 November 1950 Fergusson married Laura Margaret Grenfell (14 April 1920−1979), daughter of Arthur Morton Grenfell and sister of Dame Frances Campbell-Preston. Laura was accidentally killed in 1979 when gales blew a tree onto the car in which she was travelling. She and Bernard had one child, George, who served as the British high commissioner to New Zealand from 2006 to 2010 and governor of Bermuda from 2012.

Military career, 1931–1946

Fergusson was educated at Eton College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. From the latter, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Black Watch on 27 August 1931.[2] He was promoted to lieutenant on 27 August 1934.[3] He served with the 2nd Battalion of his regiment in the British Mandate of Palestine during the Arab revolt and later became aide-de-camp (ADC) to Major General Archibald Wavell, then General Officer Commanding of the 2nd Infantry Division in England, on 11 March 1937.[4] In October 1937, he was on secondment to the Green Howards.[5] Fergusson was promoted to captain on 27 August 1939, only a few days before the outbreak of the Second World War.[6]

In 1940, Fergusson was serving as a brigade major for the 46th Infantry Brigade before becoming a general staff officer in the Middle East. In October 1943 he was promoted to acting brigadier and given command of the 16th Infantry Brigade, which was converted into a Chindit formation for operations in the deep jungles of Burma miles behind Japanese lines. He commanded this brigade throughout the Chindit operations of 1944 before becoming Director of Combined Operations from 1945 to 1946. He ended the war as a major (war-substantive lieutenant-colonel).

After the war, Fergusson held various positions, including command of the 1st Battalion, Black Watch.

Service in Palestine, 1946–1947

In 1946, having failed to be elected to Parliament, Fergusson returned to Palestine during the Palestine Emergency as a brigadier and joined the Palestine Police Force. At first he commanded the "Police Mobile Force", a unit of 2,000 armed PPF personnel trained as light infantry and used as a quick reaction force against Zionist paramilitary groups. By the end of 1946 the unit was disbanded, by the order of the PPF commandant, Col. William Nicol Gray. Fergusson took command of a police school that was to be created in Jenin, but soon he was appointed by Gray as "special assistant to the commandant of police".

Fergusson suggested to Gray, who was himself a former Royal Marine, that special units be formed to fight against Zionist paramilitaries. These units would include former soldiers who had served in the British special forces during the war. Gray accepted the idea and ordered the creation of two undercover police units, whose members were selected from serving PPF policemen and former special forces soldiers. One unit would operate in Haifa and the north, while the second unit would operate in the Jerusalem area. War hero Roy Farran was appointed as the commander of the second team.

On 6 May 1947, Farran's police unit arrested 17-year-old Alexander Rubowitz, who was putting up posters in Jerusalem for a Zionist paramilitary organisation, Lehi. Rubowitz was taken by Farran's team, and tortured to force him to surrender his friend's names. The boy did not survive the torture. His body was dumped and never found. Suspicions of Farran's involvement were first raised after a grey trilby hat bearing an indistinct name compatible with his, was found near the street corner where Rubowitz was seen being pushed into a car. In 2004 British secret documents were revealed that included a statement by Fergusson, from the time of the event, to the effect that Farran confessed to Fergusson of the murder. Fergusson then reported the incident to Gray.[7]

Gray was reluctant to take action against Farran, believing he could use some information produced from Rubowitz by Farran to defeat the Lehi in Jerusalem. Gray believed that arresting Farran would ruin these efforts. While Gray was on leave in England, the acting CID commandant, Arthur Giles, ordered an investigation into Farran's actions. Farran escaped to Syria to avoid arrest, but was convinced by Fergusson to return voluntarily. He then escaped from custody and went to Jordan before again returning of his own accord. He was brought to trial in a British military court in Jerusalem.

At Farran's trial, Fergusson refused to testify on grounds that he might incriminate himself. The Palestine government announced that no action would be taken against Fergusson. The trial ended with Farran's acquittal. Fergusson was relieved of his duties in Palestine and returned to Britain.[8][9]

Military career, 1951–1958

Fergusson was brevetted to lieutenant colonel on 1 July 1951,[10] promoted to lieutenant colonel on 5 March 1952,[11] and promoted to colonel on 6 May 1952.[12] He retired on 13 December 1958 with the honorary rank of brigadier.[13]

Suez Crisis

Impressed by Fergusson's role in the Malayan Emergency, Gerald Templer placed him in charge of psychological warfare operations during the Suez Crisis, a joint invasion of Egypt by the British, French and Israelis to take control of the Suez Canal. Despite drafting an extensive campaign of psychological warfare for use during the crisis, the actual operations when the Royal Air Force (RAF) commenced aerial campaigns against Egyptian targets were very different and ultimately made little impact on Egyptian morale or public opinion. Psychological warfare radio broadcasts made under Fergusson's direction and directed at Egypt stated that President Gamal Abdel Nasser was under the influence of Zionism and urged Egyptians to attack Israel, which elicited diplomatic protests from future Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir.[14]

Governor-General of New Zealand

Fergusson as Governor-General (left) with the Mayor of Shannon, Mr P. K. Robinson.

In 1962, Fergusson was appointed governor-general of New Zealand, serving until 1967.

Fergusson was created a life peer on 10 July 1972 as Baron Ballantrae, of Auchairne in the County of Ayrshire and The Bay of Islands in New Zealand.[15]

Lord Ballantrae served as chancellor of the University of St Andrews from 1973 until his death in 1980.

Memorial scholarship

The Bernard Fergusson Memorial Scholarship was established in 1982 by the late Maori Queen, Dame Te Atairangikaahu, from a fund raised on her behalf in memory of Fergusson, as he was a particular friend of the Tainui people.

The purpose of the award is to assist a member of the Tainui Tribal Confederation resident in the Tainui Maori Trust Board area to enrol as an undergraduate student in the University of Waikato, who but for the award, might otherwise not be able to attend the university.[16]

Due to his relationship with Tainui, a Ngāruawāhia Primary School was named after him in 1966.[17] Over the years, many students from the school would go on to receive the memorial scholarship.

Honours and awards

Knight of the Order of the Thistle (KT)30 November 1974[18]
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG)3 September 1962[19]
Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO)11 February 1963[20]
Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO)5 August 1943 (Burma)[21]
Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)King's Birthday Honours, 8 June 1950[22]
Knight of the Order of St John (KStJ)1961[23]
General Service Medalwith 3 clasps
1939-1945 Star
Africa Star
Burma Star
Defence Medal
War Medal 1939–1945with MiD
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal1953

Arms

Coat of arms of Bernard Fergusson, Baron Ballantrae
Notes
The arms of Bernard Fergusson consist of:[24][25]
Crest
Issuing out of a mullet Argent a bee on a thistle Proper.
Escutcheon
Quarterly: 1st grandquarter Azure, a buckle Argent between three boars' heads couped Or armed and langued gules (Fergusson of Kilkerran) 2nd grandquarter, counterquartered; 1st and 4th Argent, an eagle displayed Sable beaked and membered Gules (Ramsay); 2nd and 3rd Gules, a chevron between three fleurs de lis Or (Broun of Colston): 3rd grandquarter, counterquartered; 1st and 4th Or, a lion rampant couped at all joints Gules within a double tressure flory counter flory Azure (Maitland); 2nd and 3rd Argent, a shakefork Sable (Cunningham of Glencairn): 4th grandquarter Or, on a saltire Azure nine lozenges of the first, on a bordure of the second eight mullets and as many boars' heads erased alternately Argent (Dalrymple of New Hailes): the whole within a bordure Argent for difference.
Supporters
Dexter, a soldier of the 42nd Highlanders, the Black Watch (The Royal Highland Regiment), attired in the full dress uniform of that regiment, including sporran and the feature bonnet as worn in the early 20th century; sinister, a Maori chieftain attired about the waist in a korowai (or mat) Argent, embellished with strings Sable, and over his left shoulder another korowai Or, also embellished with strings Sable, and embroidered Sable and Gules, two huia feathers in his hair, his face tattooed, a kuru (greenstone pendant) suspended from his dexter ear, his sinister hand grasping the shaft, and his dexter hand the tuft, of a taiaha (spear) held in bend sinister, point downwards Proper.
Motto
Dulcius ex asperis

Bibliography

  • Eton Portrait (1937) London: John Miles Ltd.
  • Beyond the Chindwin (1945) London: Collins ISBN 0-00-613870-5 also Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military (2009) ISBN 1-84884-037-3
  • Lowland Soldier (1945) London: Collins (verse)
  • The Wild Green Earth (1946) London: Collins
  • The Black Watch and the King's Enemies (1950) London: Collins also Derby: Pilgrim Press (1974) ISBN 0-900594-27-6
  • Rupert of the Rhine (1952) London: Collins
  • The Rare Adventure (1954) London: Collins
  • The Business of War: The War Narrative of Major-General Sir John Kennedy (1957) (editor) London: Hutchinson
  • The Watery Maze: The Story of Combined Operations (1961) London: Collins
  • Wavell: Portrait of a Soldier (1961) London: Collins
  • Return to Burma (1962) London: Collins
  • The Trumpet in the Hall 1930–1958 (1970) London: Collins ISBN 978-0-00-211825-5
  • Captain John Niven (1972) London: Collins ISBN 0-00-192148-7
  • Hubble-Bubble (1978) London: Collins ISBN 0-00-211378-3 (light verse)
  • Travel Warrant (1979) London: Collins ISBN 0-00-216792-1

References

  1. ↑ Ronald Lewin, 'Fergusson, Bernard Edward, Baron Ballantrae (1911–1980)', rev., Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 3 April 2009
  2. ↑ "No. 33748". The London Gazette. 28 August 1931. p. 5624.
  3. ↑ "No. 34082". The London Gazette. 28 August 1934. p. 5461.
  4. ↑ "No. 34379". The London Gazette. 12 March 1937. p. 1642.
  5. ↑ "No. 34459". The London Gazette. 30 November 1937. p. 7517.
  6. ↑ "No. 34660". The London Gazette. 29 August 1939. p. 5918.
  7. ↑ Nick Kardahji (2007). "A Measure of Restraint: The Palestine Police and the End of the British Mandate" (PDF). MPhil Thesis, Modern Middle East Studies. Retrieved 5 June 2010.
  8. ↑ Farran, Fergusson may be in UK, Palestine Post, 1947/10/08
  9. ↑ No action against Col. Fergusson, Palestine Post, 1947/10/16
  10. ↑ "No. 39397". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 November 1951. p. 6239.
  11. ↑ "No. 39543". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 May 1952. p. 2708.
  12. ↑ "No. 39764". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 January 1953. p. 617.
  13. ↑ The London Gazette, 16 December 1958
  14. ↑ Kyle, Keith (2003). Suez: Britain's End of Empire in the Middle East. Tauris. pp. 235–239. ISBN 978-1-8488-5533-5.
  15. ↑ "No. 45725". The London Gazette. 13 July 1972. p. 8375.
  16. ↑ "Taranaki Careers - Scholarships - Bernard Fergusson Memorial Scholarship". Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 30 March 2010.
  17. ↑ "A Brief History". Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Bernard Fergusson. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  18. ↑ "No. 46421". The London Gazette. 3 December 1074. p. 12169.
  19. ↑ "No. 42776". The London Gazette. 7 September 1962. p. 7041.
  20. ↑ "No. 42969". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 April 1963. p. 3327.
  21. ↑ "No. 36120". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 August 1943. p. 3522.
  22. ↑ "No. 38929". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 June 1950. p. 2781.
  23. ↑ "No. 42722". The London Gazette. 3 July 1962. p. 5305.
  24. ↑ The Illustrated encyclopedia of New Zealand. Auckland, N.Z. : D. Bateman. 1989. p. 497. ISBN 978-1-86953-007-5. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  25. ↑ "New Zealand Connections to the Order of the Thistle". Onward. 14 July 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
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