William Ferguson was born on November 28, 1915, the son of William D. Ferguson Sr. and Anne Ferguson, of 150 Watson Street, Sarnia. William had two brothers, Burton and Gordon of Sarnia, and two sisters, Lois of Sarnia and Mrs. C.R. Black of Washington, D.C.. William’s father was an executive of the Mac-Craft Corporation of Sarnia, and former secretary-manager of the Sarnia Chamber of Commerce and the Blue Water Highway Association. William Lorne attended Sarnia Collegiate, and would go on to graduate in 1939 from the University of Western Ontario, where he obtained a four-year B.A. degree, majoring in business administration. He joined the staff of the Hobbs Manufacturing Company at London, Ontario, and was later transferred to Toronto, where he worked as a salesman. He resided at 107 St. George Street, Toronto. While in Toronto, he served in the University of Toronto C.O.T.C. militia from October 1940 to February 1941, and September 1941 to December 1941.
William Ferguson enlisted in the Royal Canadian Army on February 23, 1942 in Toronto (five months prior to his eventual death). He became a member of the Royal Canadian Ordinance Corps, district headquarters, Ottawa. Only five days prior to his death, he was promoted to the rank of Corporal. On the late afternoon of Saturday July 18, 1942, William and other members of his unit had gone on a picnic party to the Hull, Quebec resort at Fairy Lake. William had only been in the water a few moments when he sank from view, and was tragically drowned. The Medical Examiner reported that William, Suffered a broken neck while diving from end of pier into river. After the body was returned to Sarnia, more than 300 relatives and friends of the family attended the funeral at D.J. Robb’s Funeral Home. Twenty-six year old William Ferguson is buried at the Sarnia (Lakeview) Cemetery, Sarnia, Ontario, Section I. Lot 140. He was awarded the Canadian Volunteer Service War Medal 1939-45. On William Ferguson’s headstone are inscribed the words, Rest in peace.
SOURCES: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, J, L, N, R, 2C, 2D