My Hands Turned Black

Heroes Remember

My Hands Turned Black

Transcript

Now the sergeant major caught me stealing a pair of boots and I saw him with a cheese, you know, pretty big. So he wasn't going to be outwitted by me. Sergeant major, he accused me of the shoes so I had to give them back, of course, and he was my enemy. So when I was to be tied up, tied to the wheel, and it was on so tight on my wrists and my hands turned black and there was a, I went into the OC and I showed him. He said, “How many days punishment did he give?” I said, “Four.” “Okay,” he said, “I'll see that you have four days no duty,” he said, “that was a ridiculous thing.”

Description

Mr. Ferguson describes stealing a pair of boots, and after returning them being tightly lashed to a wagon wheel as punishment.

Angus Ferguson

Angus Ferguson was born in Port Morien, Nova Scotia in 1898. His father was a mining engineer. Mr. Ferguson's first attempt to enlist was denied because of his youth. However, after being sent overseas in 1916, he joined the 15th Battery in France. Mr. Ferguson worked with pack horses and mules, delivering shells to artillery positions. Horses were favoured targets of the Germans, and as a result he had several close calls. “Lucky all the time” is how Mr. Ferguson describes his war service.

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