George Gray Dixon FERRIER
Born 17 June 1889 in Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia [16]
Son of George FERRIER and Elizabeth WILSON [54]
Married Hilda Marion SPEIGHT in 1911 in Perth, Western Australia [66]
Resided at 42 Bulwer Street, Perth in 1912 and 1913, and at 31 View Street, North Perth in 1914 [6]
Resided at Fourth Avenue in the Perth suburb of Maylands in 1915 [6]
In 1915 he was working as a Warehouseman and Departmental Manager [30]
With six years of previous service he successfully applied for a Commission in the Australian Imperial Force [30]
Enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 6 November 1915 [30: item 3554224]
Embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia for active service abroad on the H.M.A.T. A7 Medic on 20 May 1916 [30]
Disembarked in Plymouth, England and after further training proceeded overseas to France on 20 December 1916 [30]
Captain in the 8th Field Artillery Brigade / 3rd Field Division Artillery in France during the First World War [30]
Embarked England on the H.T. Somali on 1 June 1919 and disembarked back in Western Australia on 8 July 1919 [30]
His A.I.F. commission was terminated on 23 August 1919; received the Military Cross, British War Medal and Victory Medal [30]
Resided at 23 Fourth Avenue in the Perth suburb of Maylands 1919-1923 [6]
Farmer of Narandagy Farm on the Guranu Estate in Mingenew, Western Australia 1923-1955 [19] [50]
The registered horse and cattle of firebrand used on the property was U8F, which was registered in his wife's name [486]
He was a Justice of the Peace [120: 26-Dec-1929]
Member of the Mingenew Road Board 1926-1945 - was Chairman 1928-1937 and 1941-1945 [101]
Costume Judge at the Mingenew Younger Set's Fancy Dress Ball held in Mingenew on Thursday 10 October 1929 [4: 19-Oct-1929]
Member of the Mingenew branch of the Primary Producers' Association - was President in 1929 [120: 26-Dec-1929]
Attended the funeral of Mingenew pioneer Mrs Ellen OLIVER at the Mingenew Cemetery on 18 December 1929 [86: 21-Dec-1929]
Member of the Mingenew Polo Club - was Chairman in 1929 and Vice President in 1932 [120: 26-Dec-1929, 25-Feb-1932]
Member of the Mingenew Recreation Advisory Committee 1929-1934 - was Chairman in 1929 [101: page 129] [120: 26-Dec-1929]
Chairman and speaker at the Farewell Social to departing agent John P. McCABE in Mingenew on 20 April 1931 [4: 25-Apr-1931]
Member of the Mingenew branch of the Wheatgrowers Union - was President in 1931 [4: 12-Dec-1931]
In 1932 owned a Reo wagon and Chevrolet car with license plates MI-185 and MI-201 [4: 12-Nov-1932]
Attended a large meeting in Three Springs to form a North Midlands Chamber of Commerce on 18 November 1932 [4: 26-Nov-1932]
Representative for Yandanooka-Mingenew on the North Midland Districts Bulk Handling Deputation in 1935 [5: 16-Aug-1935]
Attended the Fourth Annual North Midlands R.S.L. Reunion Dinner in Three Springs on Saturday 19 October 1935 [5: 25-Oct-1935]
Attended the opening of the Nurse's Quarters in Three Springs and dinner at the Commercial Hotel on 27 August 1937 [5: 3-Sep-1937]
Committee Member of the Mingenew District Agricultural Society in 1939 [4: 19-Aug-1939]
Lieutenant W71834 in Mingenew's local Volunteer Defence Corps during the Second World War [16]
Later resided in the Perth suburb of Claremont [2]
Died 25 January 1960; cremated at the Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth WA [2]
From The Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No. 110, 25 July 1918:
Awarded the Military Cross - Captain George Gray Dixon Ferrier, M.C.
"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when acting as Forward Observation Officer during an attack. He established himself in a very forward position under heavy shell fire, and kept his group in touch with the situation throughout. The information which he sent back was most valuable, and enabled the group to deal with the situations as they arose."
From The Western Mail newspaper, Thursday 26 December 1929:
Country Towns and Districts - Three Springs and Mingenew - Cereal and Pastoral Wealth - People and Properties
"Once a successful soldier, and now a successful farmer, Mr G. D. Ferrier, J.P., is now in his second year of office as chairman of the Mingenew Road Board, of which he became a member four years ago. Although his farm leaves him little spare time, he is prominent in public affairs, and is chairman of the Polo Club and the recreation committee, and president of the Mingenew branch of the Primary Producers' Association. Mr Ferrier came to the district seven years ago. He is the possessor of a military record of merit. In 1910, in Perth, as a volunteer, he joined the artillery under Brigadier-General Bessel Browne, then a captain. Graduating from the ranks, he obtained his commission soon after the war commenced, and left for France with the 8th Artillery Brigade. Rising to a captaincy he commanded the 31st Battery for 14 months, and won the Military Cross at Menin Road. Mr Ferrier's property covers 3,000 acres of good country, of which 1,300 acres are cleared and 600 acres partially cleared. It is undulating and contains river flats."
From The Western Mail newspaper, Saturday 15 October 1938:
Through the Victoria District - Men of Mingenew
"Chairman of the Mingenew Road Board for the last 13 years, Mr. G. D. Ferrier, who was born at Warrnambool, Victoria, in 1889, now owns a 3,500 acre mixed farming property about 12 miles from Mingenew. The gold rush brought Mr. Ferrier and his parents to this State and in 1900 he went to South Africa. He returned here later and in 1910 joined the voluntary artillery under Major Hobbs. During the war he enlisted with the 3rd Divisional Artillery, and was layer placed in command of the 31st Battery. Mr. Ferrier is an enthusiastic committeeman of the Agricultural Society, and is vice-president of the polo and race clubs. He has every faith in the future of his district."
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'George Gray Dixon Ferrier' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 19 December 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/george-gray-dixon-ferrier [reference list] |
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