soldier-of-the-month

SOLDIER OF THE MONTH

Lieutenant Colonel Edmund Bromfield Ferrers D.S.O. ("Uncle")

(1878 - 1944)

2nd Battalion The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)

“It was getting near the time for the guns to lift, and the subaltern was keeping an eye on his watch, when Gray-Buchannan nudged him and shouted,

“There goes Ferrers.” Looking up he saw Ferrers, monocle carefully adjusted and waving his sword, scrambling over the parapet 20 or 30 yards to the right; so calling to his men to follow, over he went to.”

Ferrers in 1909 as Captain

This description of Captain (later Lt Col) E. B. Ferrers leading his company into battle at Neuve Chapelle helps sum up his traditional and devoted approach to his service with The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). Lt Col Ferrers spent his whole military career serving with The Cameronians. He was one of its best known officers, and was affectionately known as ‘Uncle’ to all who served in the regiment.

Ferrers joined up as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1899. He served with the 2nd Battalion during the South African War, and by the time the First World War began he was in command of his beloved “B” Company. During the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, mentioned above, Ferrers was wounded almost as soon as he crossed over the British line however he refused to give up and continued on to the German trenches where he was hit again forcing him to stop. Yet Ferrers still refused to be carried back to safety by his men instead he propped himself up against the German parapet to enable him to see better and calmly lit a cigar, from his vantage point Ferrers cheerfully encouraged his men on shouting;

“Go on ‘B’ Company, I am dammed proud of you.”

For his bravery and leadership at Neuve Chapelle, Ferrers received the award of the Distinguished Service Order and he was also Mentioned in Dispatches. He then spent the next two years recovering from his injuries in England, during which time he was very eager to get back to his beloved regiment. In February 1917 he rejoined the 2nd Battalion. However, he struggled to cope on active service at the front whilst dealing with his continuing injuries, and after only two months he was forced to take a more peaceful role behind the front lines.

After the war he had recovered enough to enable him to accompany the 2nd Battalion to India, Iraq and Kurdistan, during which time he was able to resume command of his beloved “B” Company. After being promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1923, Ferrers was then posted to command the 1st Battalion and he was in command when they were posted to China in 1927. After completing his command of the 1st Battalion, Ferrers was given the command of the Ceylon Defence Force, a post which he held from 1931 until 1935. During the Second World War he held the post of Recruiting Officer in Brighton from 1941 until illness forced him to stop in August 1942.

In his book ‘Morale’ John Baynes speaks very highly of Ferrers describing him as a:

“Very remarkable character, he was always eccentric and had a most ready wit. At the same time he was the kindest of men, and had the very highest code of personal honour and integrity. His tactical and general military was not great, but when he came to command a battalion in the 1920s his ability to gain the devotion of the officers and men alike made him extremely successful.”

Lieutenant Colonel Ferrers died in February 1944 at the age of 66. He was unmarried, having spent his whole life entirely devoted to the regiment.

Ferrers at Southampton, 8th September 1911, before embarking for Malta with the Battalion

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