G4VF and the Empress of Ireland

While researching the Jack Binns CQD story, a Chelmsford hero was discovered, Ron Ferguson, OBE, G4VF, Chief Radio Officer on the Empress of Ireland

This story appeared in the January 2009 issue of the Radio and Communications magazine Monitoring Monthly and is reproduced here with permission.

A past Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society President, Ron Ferguson, OBE, G4VF was the Chief Radio Officer on the Empress of Ireland. At 2 am on 29th May 1914 the Norwegian Collier, SS STORSTAD rammed it amidships while in the St Lawrence River, Canada.

The Assistant RO, Edward Bamford was on duty as Ron had just gone to bed when the collision occurred.
Ron immediately rushed back to the Wireless Room and sent “SOS” which was answered by the Marconi shore station at Father Point. Ron volunteered that they were 20 miles past Rimouski as no instructions were received from the Bridge. Edward was instructed to take to the boats. Within minutes the power failed with Ron leaving the ship when the Wireless Room was awash.

The ship sank in 14 minutes trapping most of those who were asleep.

Ron was picked up by the collier and then transferred to one of the rescue tugs which because it set sail quickly did not have a RO. He was given permission to smash the lock and used the Wireless to co-ordinate a rescue. Unfortunately, out of the 1,461 on board, 1,025 drowned – to-date the greatest Canadian sea tragedy.

Years later Ron went back to the shore station where he was given back his jacket! Ron was a very private person and did not speak much about this event.

He retired in 1967 as Managing Director of Marconi International Marine Company Ltd and died on 28th July 1985 aged 91.

Acknowledgements.

David H Barlow, Radio Officers Association,

Jimmy Leadbitter, ex-Marconi Marine.

Tony Cuthbert, ex-Marconi RO.

Geoff Lovegrove, G7KLV, ex-Marconi.

By John H Bowen. C.Eng. MIET. G8DET.
Chairman of the Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society http://www.g0mwt.org.uk/

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Copyright 2008