Flight Sergeant Duncan Comrie Ferguson
Royal Canadian Air Force #20 Operational Training Unit
Service No. R110171
Died: November 9, 1942
Comrie was born September 23, 1920 to Daniel Ferguson and Marion Edmonstone Seggie. Comrie had two older sisters, two older brothers, one who died aged four before Comrie was born, and two younger brothers, one who died in infancy.
Comrie had an unhappy childhood. Before his birth, his father had been away in the first world war and his mother in a mental institution when his older brother died in 1917. As his mothers mental health problems continued, his maternal aunt and uncle raised him. A younger brother died in infancy in 1922. His mother died in childbirth in 1927. Comrie went to school in Ladysmith where he was a quiet but popular student, loving fishing and reading, completing his senior matric in 1939. After a year at the Normal School in Victoria he returned to teach at the Diamond school. His father had died in 1940. A brother and sister – a teacher – still lived in Ladysmith.
Duncan wanted to be a pilot when he signed up in June 25. 1941. He got glowing letters of recommendation when he left in June to train on the Prairies. He trained as an Air Observer, Navigator, and Bombardier. In July 1942, he arrived in the United Kingdom.
On November 9, 1942, Comrie was the bombardier on twin engine Vickers Wellington bomber #DV882, on a non-operational flight over the North Sea. The aircraft was last heard from at 7:34PM. It was assumed that the bomber and six man crew was lost. The loss was deemed to be a flying accident, but it was conceivable that the bomber was shot down by enemy fighters.
Comrie has no known grave. He is commemorated on the Runnymede (Air Forces) Memorial, Surrey, England, on the Ladysmith Cenotaph and in the 1942-43 edition of Spion Kop, the Ladysmith High School annual.
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