(1911– ).

Tenth Governor-General of New Zealand.

Bernard Edward Fergusson was born on 6 May 1911, the younger son of Sir Charles Fergusson and of Lady Alice, née Boyle. Educated at Eton and Sandhurst, he joined the Black Watch in 1931. From 1935 to 1937 he acted as aide-decamp to General Wavell at Aldershot, and then served for a year in Palestine before becoming an instructor at the Royal Military College. During the Second World War he served in the Middle East and India, joined Wingate's expeditions into Burma in 1943–44, and commanded the 16th Infantry Brigade in the 1944 expedition. He was Director of Combined Operations (Military) in 1945–46 and Assistant Inspector-General of the Palestine Police, 1946–47. From 1948 to 1951 he commanded the 1st Battalion, Black Watch, which position he relinquished to become Colonel in the Intelligence Section at Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers, Europe. In 1955–56 he commanded the 153rd Highland Brigade, Territorial Army, serving with the Allied Force Headquarters during the Port Said operations in the latter year. From 1957 until his retirement in 1958 he commanded the 29th Infantry Brigade. On 9 November 1962 he succeeded Lord Cobham as Governor-General of New Zealand. He was created G.C.M.G. in 1962 and G.C.V.O. during the royal visit to New Zealand in 1963.

Sir Bernard is the author of a number of books in the field of military history. These include Beyond the Chindwin (1945); The Wild Green Earth (1946); The Black Watch and the King's Enemies (1950); Rupert of the Rhine (1952); The Watery Maze – the Story of Combined Operations (1961); Wavell – Portrait of a Soldier (1961); and Return to Burma (1962).

On 22 November 1950 Sir Bernard married Laura Margaret, younger daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Morton Grenfell, D.S.O.; they have one son.