William FRASER
Year of Birth: 1892
Place of Birth: Watsonville, Queensland, Australia
Date of Enlistment: 22 Jan 1916
Date and Place of Embarkation: 8 August 1916 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Ship: HMAT Itonus
Rank: Private
Unit(s): 15th Battalion
Regimental Number: 6017
Died: 11 April 1917
William George Fraser was born 25 January 1892 to George Fraser and Minnie Rose Anna (formerly Matthews). He was the eldest of 7 children – John (b. 1894), Violet (b. 1896) Robert (b. 1899), Ethel (b. 1901) Olive (b. 1903) and Elizabeth (b. 1908).
His father was an engine driver at Bakerville and by the 1915 Electoral Roll, William was a mill manager at Watsonville. At that time, tin mining was the major employer in the Herberton district.
William enlisted at Cairns on 22 January 1916. He was 24 years of age, 6 feet tall and weighed 196 pounds. His complexion was ruddy and had grey blue eyes and black hair. His religion was Church of England.
He embarked from Brisbane on the HMAT Itonus from Brisbane on 8 August 1916 and arrived in England on 16 November to join 4th Training Battalion. He sailed from Folkstone England on the Princess Victoria on 16 January 1917 to Etaples, France.
He was reported missing in action then killed in action on 11 April 1917. His mother wrote to the Red Cross in London enquiring about her son missing in action. A number of soldiers were able to confirm they saw him killed in action on 11 April 1917 and the Red Cross confirmed this to her.
He is remembered on the Villers Bretonneux Memorial, Picardie, France.
A notice appeared in the Cairns Post 4 April 1918 concerning payment of an insurance claim on a policy on William Fraser’s life to his mother, his father having relinquished claim as next of kin.
Online Resources
NAA: B2455 (FRASER W) National Archives of Australia
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
National Library of Australia: Trove Digitised Newspapers
Australian Light Horse Studies Centre
Queensland Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages
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