FRASER, Michael Arbuthnot
| Service Number: | 1068 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 21 February 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 42nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, 19 November 1869 |
| Home Town: | St George, Balonne Shire, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Newcastle East State School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Auctioneer |
| Died: | DoW - GSW head, 2nd Aust Clearing Station, Messines, Belgium, France, 11 June 1917, aged 47 years |
| Cemetery: |
Trois Arbres Cemetery, Steenwerck, Nord Pas de Calais Plot I, Row P, Grave No. 9 |
| Tree Plaque: |
Roma Heroes Avenue
|
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Brisbane 42nd Infantry Battalion AIF Roll of Honour, St George & District Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 21 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1068, 42nd Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Jun 1916: | Involvement Private, 1068, 42nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Borda embarkation_ship_number: A30 public_note: '' | |
| 5 Jun 1916: | Embarked Private, 1068, 42nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Borda, Sydney |
Help us honour Michael Arbuthnot Fraser's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery
Let us remember a Fallen soldier of The Great War awaiting memorialisation at Sandgate Cemetery.
On the 11th June 1917, Private Michael Arbuthnot Fraser, 42nd Battalion (Reg No-1068), auctioneer from St George, Queensland, father of six (Kenneth, Donald, Eileen, Michael, Nancy, Marjorie), Died of Wounds at the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station, France, age 47, Battle of Messines.
No Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing File.
Born at Newcastle, New South Wales on the 19th November 1869 to James (died 2.6.1899, Newcastle, N.S.W., age 76), from 116 King Street, Newcastle, N.S.W., and Mary Fraser (died 26.5.1898, Newcastle, N.S.W., age 68, mother of 8), from 116 King Street, Newcastle, N.S.W.; husband of Ruth Ann Fraser nee Thomas (married 1891, Newcastle, N.S.W., died 16.7.1941, Waverley, N.S.W., age 70, 24 years a widow) of 22 Ormond Street, Paddington, New South Wales, Michael enlisted on the 21st February 1916 at Warwick, Queensland.
Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A30 Bordon the 5th June 1916.
Wounded in action - 10.6.1917 (GSW head & compound fracture of skull).
Many friends will regret to hear of the death of Piper Michael Arbuthnot Fraser at the front.
He originally carried on business in Newcastle, New South Wales, and was an alderman of the city and secretary of various public bodies there. Some years ago he came to Warwick, and commenced business. Here he joined the Caledonian Pipe Band, being an enthusiastic Highlander, Presbyterian, and Freemason. Some few years ago he went to Roma with splendid credentials, and was appointed Pipe Major of the Maranos Caledonian Society.
He taught pipe playing and dancing as a profession. He joined the A.I.F at St. George, where he had carried on his profession and acted as Pipe Major to the Caledonian Society. For some time he worked for the Roma Town Council, and was much respected and esteemed by all who knew him. A widow and family are left to mourn their loss.
Mr. Fraser is resting at Trois-Arbres Cemetery, Steenwerck, France. Plot I Row P Grave 9.
Place of Association – Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Michael’s name has been inscribed on the St. Phillip's Presbyterian Church (Newcastle) Roll of Honour, Brisbane 42nd Infantry Battalion AIF Roll of Honour, St George & District Honour Board and the Roma Heroes Avenue. Name not inscribed on the Newcastle East Public School Roll of Honour or the Gardner Memorial.
Unfortunately, there is no memorial inscription on the Fraser headstone to tell us of the loss of their son during The Great War, and I am unable to erect a Memorial cross, so I have placed poppies at the gravesite in remembrance of Michael’s service and supreme sacrifice for God, King & Country. PRESBYTERIAN-8NE. 15.
Michael's son Kenneth Livingstone, born 18.2.1894, engineer's labourer from 417 Bourke Street, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, enlisted 6.1.1916, Casula, N.S.W., 1st Australian Pioneer Battalion, Reg No-1850, RTA 27.7.1919, died 14.6.1973, Merewether, N.S.W., age 79, not officially commemorated, also served 1st A.I.F.
Contact with descendants would be greatly appreciated.
For more detail, see “Forever Remembered “
http://www.commemoratingwarheroes.com/cemetery-main-search/
Lest We Forget.
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