Rising Sun Badges : Gunner L E A Ferguson, 106 Howitzer Battery 6 Field Artillery Brigade AIF

One large General Service Badge and one smaller Rising Sun collar badge.

These Rising Sun badges are associated with the service of 9146 Gunner Leopold Eric Alexis Ferguson of Goulburn, NSW. A clerk prior to enlisting with the AIF on 18 June 1915, he embarked with the Dermatological Hospital Unit from Sydney aboard HMAT Kanowna on 22 December 1915. He transferred to the artillery on 2 April 1916 and after several months training, joined the 106th Battery of the 25th Field Artillery Brigade in December.

On 9 June 1917 during the Battle of Messines, his artillery gun position was hit by German fire. He was severely wounded and died at the 54th Casualty Clearing Station located near Ploegsteert Wood. His cousin, Leon Dudley Ferguson, served as a captain in the 45th Battalion, AIF and was awarded the Military Cross. He returned to Australia on 1 November 1919.