Sandy” Ferguson graduated in Medicine at Melbourne University in 1942 and following his residency at The Alfred Hospital was commissioned as a Surgeon Lieutenant in the Royal Australian Naval Reserve in 1943. Prior to studying medicine he had tried to commence a naval career and having been accepted to join the Naval College at the age of 13 found his career cut short when the Commonwealth Government closed the College as an economy measure.
Following a short period at HMAS CERBERUS he was posted to HMAS MANOORA, an infantry landing ship and saw active service in the South West Pacific taking part in the landings at Rabaul, Leyte, Lingayen Gulf and Balikpapan.
He continued his naval service following WW2 in the Naval Reserve and was promoted to Surgeon Captain in 1968. He served as the District Naval Medical officer at HMAS LONSDALE until its closure in the early 1990s and then continued seeing patients at HMAS CERBERUS on a weekly basis.
At the end of WW2 he was appointed Medical Superintendent of the Alfred Hospital and Honorary Anaesthetist at Prince Henry’s, the Royal Women’s and the Repatriation General Hospital at Heidelberg.
“Sandy” had a lifetime association with the Hawthorn Football Club. His father, Tom, played for the club and “Sandy” joined as the club’s medical officer in 1950. He was President of that club from 1952 to 1967. His 15 year tenure as President was recognized at Hawthorn with the opening of a stand at their Glenferrie home ground and named the “A.S.Ferguson Stand” by the Governor of Victoria in 1968.
Sandy was very active in the ex-service community and was President of the Naval Association of Australia from 1975 until 1990. He led the Melbourne Anzac Day march in 1992.
He was an Honorary Life Member of the Australian Military Medicine Association, the Victorian Football League, the Hawthorn Football Club, the Naval Association of Australia and the Melbourne Naval Centre.
He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 1989.
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