Charles Fraser (VC)
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General Sir Charles Craufurd Fraser VC
KCB
(31 August 1829 – 7 June 1895) was a British recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces. He was also a Conservative
politician.
, British Army
as a cornet in 1847, became lieutenant in 1850 and captain in 1854. On 5 January 1858 he became Orderly Officer for Brigadier Campbell at Munseata near Allahabad
and was promoted to major on 20 July 1858.
for which he was awarded the VC:
He was also awarded the Royal Humane Society
's Medal 1st Class.
in 1859 and became Commanding Officer as lieutenant colonel in 1861. He became colonel in 1866 and was Commandant at Head Quarters during the Abyssinian War. He was mentioned in despatches and awarded CB
. In 1868 he became colonel of the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars
and was promoted to Major-General in 1870. He was Aide-de-Camp
to the Duke of Cambridge lord-lieutenant of Ireland, from 1873 to 1877. In 1880 he became Inspector-General of Cavalry in Ireland until 1884 and was later in command of the Cavalry at Aldershot. He retired with the rank of lieutenant general
in 1886.
In 1885 Fraser was elected Member of Parliament
for Lambeth North
. He was knighted in 1891 and held the Lambeth seat until 1892.
Fraser died in Sloane Street London at the age of 65 and was buried in Brompton Cemetery
, London.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(31 August 1829 – 7 June 1895) was a British recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces. He was also a Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician.
Early life
Fraser was the third son of Sir James Fraser and his wife Charlotte Anne Craufurd. He joined the 7th Hussars (The Queen's Own)7th Queen's Own Hussars
The 7th Queen's Own Hussars was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first formed in 1690. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into The Queen's Own Hussars in 1958....
, British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
as a cornet in 1847, became lieutenant in 1850 and captain in 1854. On 5 January 1858 he became Orderly Officer for Brigadier Campbell at Munseata near Allahabad
Allahabad
Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...
and was promoted to major on 20 July 1858.
Victoria Cross
Fraser was 29 years old, and a major in the 7th Hussars (The Queen's Own) during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place on 31 December 1858 at the River Raptee, IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
for which he was awarded the VC:
He was also awarded the Royal Humane Society
Royal Humane Society
The Royal Humane Society is a British charity which promotes lifesaving intervention. It was founded in England in 1774 as the Society for the Recovery of Persons Apparently Drowned, for the purpose of rendering first aid in cases of near drowning....
's Medal 1st Class.
Later career
Fraser transferred to the 11th Hussars11th Hussars
The 11th Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army.-History:The regiment was founded in 1715 as Colonel Philip Honeywood's Regiment of Dragoons and was known by the name of its Colonel until 1751 when it became the 11th Regiment of Dragoons...
in 1859 and became Commanding Officer as lieutenant colonel in 1861. He became colonel in 1866 and was Commandant at Head Quarters during the Abyssinian War. He was mentioned in despatches and awarded CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
. In 1868 he became colonel of the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars
8th King's Royal Irish Hussars
The 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1693. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into The Queen's Royal Irish Hussars in 1958....
and was promoted to Major-General in 1870. He was Aide-de-Camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to the Duke of Cambridge lord-lieutenant of Ireland, from 1873 to 1877. In 1880 he became Inspector-General of Cavalry in Ireland until 1884 and was later in command of the Cavalry at Aldershot. He retired with the rank of lieutenant general
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
in 1886.
In 1885 Fraser was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Lambeth North
Lambeth North (UK Parliament constituency)
Lambeth North was a borough constituency centred on the Lambeth district of South London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.- History :...
. He was knighted in 1891 and held the Lambeth seat until 1892.
Fraser died in Sloane Street London at the age of 65 and was buried in Brompton Cemetery
Brompton Cemetery
Brompton Cemetery is located near Earl's Court in South West London, England . It is managed by The Royal Parks and is one of the Magnificent Seven...
, London.
External links
- Location of grave and VC medal (Brompton Cemetery)