TOPIC:

Bearing in mind a possible misspelling of the surname, could this be 3393 Private G. Fergusson, of the 3rd Hussars?

There was a Robert Ferguson, died 3rd April 1901, aged 30, and buried in Belfast City Cemetery. www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=g...Rid=80770679&df=all&


A trooper in the 4th Hussars, named Fergusson, invalided home from South Africa, and who only arrived in Belfast on Saturday, to-day entered a restaurant in that city, and, while in conversation with the proprietor, suddenly took a fit, and expired before the arrival of the ambulance, which had been sent for. Deceased, who was on the Reserve, served fifteen months at the front, until enteric laid hold of him.

(Evening Express, Wednesday 3rd April 1901)

It certainly could be, he has no entry in Watt and WO100/114 states that 3393 Private G Fergusson 3rd Hussars was "Deceased, no next of kin" interestingly, this medal was issued in 1920.

As you say, interesting, and it means that someone still remembered him in the aftermath of the Great War. But could a medal be issued to non-next of kin?

It is a difficult question to answer, there is nothing to tell us, in this particular case, but, I suppose my answer to your question would have to be yes, for example, the Manchester Regiment had it's own regimental collection and on occasion, individual medals that had not actually been issued to a recipient or his family, for whatsoever the reason, were acquired by the regiment and are clearly shown on the various rolls with annotation.