Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

May 2019 - In an amazing turn of events and an extraordinary act of generosity and kindness, the gentleman collector holding Jack's medals read my biography regarding my Great Grandfather and spent many hours tracking me down. He located me and posted the medals and other small possessions of my Great Grandfather to me. To have these returned to the family where they will be treasured forever has left me beyond grateful and beyond words. Thank you.Thank you. 

Name: John George FRASER

Service Number: 2043

Battalion:48^th Infantry Battalion

Medals: Military Medal, British War Medal, Victory Medal

Jack Fraser (John George) was born in Riverton, South Australia, eldest of 7 children to Jim (John James Frew Fraser) and Elizabeth Fraser (nee Bell) on 2^nd December 1880.

Jack’s family moved to the Elliston district around 1883 to become one of the pioneering families. The family acquired the property “Heathcoate” and grew wheat. Later they leased a huge tract of land known as “Cocota” at Mt Damper.

Jack grew up in the harsh farming conditions that prevailed at the time; rabbit plagues, drought and flood. Time was made for other pursuits and Jack was a member of the Elliston Rifle Club and known for his great skill as a marksman as well as a competitive cricketer.

He went on to marry Ida May Mayers and they raised 5 children; Hugh John Fraser, Mary Agnes (Best), Adele Ida Myrtle (Speed), Isabel Edna (Boehm), Laurel Joyce (Fatchen).

My Grandmother, Isabel Edna Boehm, remembered her father as a kind, loving father who worked very hard and came back from the war a shadow of his former self. She was heartbroken when he died suddenly at the age of 46. I recall her telling me it was the opinion of the family that it took him 10 years to die from the wounds he received during the war.

From his war service records, Jack enlisted on 6^th April 1916 from Adelaide. He was 35 yrs old, a farmer, 5’5” with a dark complexion, dark hair and dark grey eyes. Upon enlistment he joined the 48^th Battalion, B Company, Australian Imperial Force. After 3 months training Jack embarked on B17 SS “Seang-Bea” from Adelaide. He disembarked in England in September 1916 and after further training marched out to Etaples in the north of France in November. Etaples was a particularly harsh training camp for those about to join the Western Front. Soldiers were not immune to the everyday illnesses that people encounter and Jack was hospitalized on Christmas Day for several weeks with mumps.

He re-joined the 48^th on 27^th January 1917. The 48^th had been moved to Brazentin Camp A which was reported as being “convenient and clean”. The Battalion were employed on road works and the weather was reported as being “very cold, with heavy frost” (War Diaries 48^th Battalion).

The 48^th were to attack the Hindenburg Line near Bullecourt in the early hours of the morning. With support from Tanks, bombers, machine guns and other Battalions the attack was meant to have been a well-co-ordinated success. The tanks failed to make their positions and other battalions fell short of their objectives. This left the 48^th with inadequate support; little covering barrage, daylight approaching, still 1000 yards to cover under direct rifle fire from enemy trenches, other Battalions retired. In a valiant effort the 48^th held their position for 1hr and 10 minutes after they knew the rest had retired. Lieutenant Colonel Raymond Lionel Leane stated in his report “No word of mine can express the pride and admiration I feel for these brave men, officers and men alike did wonderful work and I feel that had troops came up on the left of Bullecourt and captured the trench we would still be in the position. The failure in my opinion was due to 1. Tanks not carrying out their work, 2. Failure of British to attack left of Bullecourt”.

Sometime during the early hours of the morning on 11^th April 1917 Jack was severely wounded with a gunshot wound to his abdomen. If family stories are correct, Jack, being a crack shot, stood on top of the sand bagged trenches firing at the enemy whilst his mates were scrambling to retreat or retrieve the wounded.

Jack was transferred from the field hospital to a hospital train where he was then transported to the 6^th General Hospital, Rouen and then on to Harve (still in France) before arriving in England on 29^th April still with severe injuries. A period of treatment and convalescence took several months but eventually he was cleared to re-join his Battalion. By 20^th October 2017 Jack had re-joined his Battalion in France.

20^th August 1918, Jack was nominated for the Distinguished Conduct Medal by Brigadier General Raymond Leane, Australian Infantry Brigade:

                “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty at Lihons on the 20^th August 1918. The enemy snipers were very active and held commanding positions causing the front line troops a great amount of trouble. Pte Fraser went out and secured sniping position in the vicinity of the front line. On the 21^st August Pte Fraser killed two of the enemy and wounded a third. Up to that time the Germans had been very aggressive. At 11am on the 22^nd August a heavy barrage was put down on our front line and supports and although in a concealed and not protected position, Pte Fraser remained on duty, killing three more of the enemy who exposed themselves to observe the effects of the barrage. Immediately the barrage lifted Pte Fraser observed a party of ten of the enemy endeavouring to re-occupy a forward post that had been withdrawn during the barrage and was responsible for killing two more of this party and wounding a third. In addition to silencing enemy sniping, so saving a number of casualties, the information gained by Pte Fraser was of the greatest value to the front line. His work during the whole tour displayed an untiring energy and utter disregard to personal safety which greatly inspired the front line men.”

The war diaries of these days between 20^th – 22^nd August outline that the 48^th had left their position the night before and so on the 20^th they were familiarizing themselves with the new surroundings. What they found were the Germans being very active in their sniping activities to the point where countermeasures were called for. While they weren’t being shelled, the enemy were exceedingly active with machine gun and trench mortars. The German enemy was described as being aggressive and good soldiers. From 21^st “early in the morning enemy machine guns were exceedingly active and replied vigorously to our machine and lewis guns. Patrols under Lieutenant Potts, MC, went out to connect with Canadians but found the trench in Front held by the Bosche, after bombing enemy posts our patrols returned. At 4am one of our crack snipers went to a position went to a position in the front line with the idea of getting Hun snipers who were troubling us, he lay in waiting quietly until 12noon and finally succeeded between 12 noon and 5pm in killing two enemy snipers and wounding a third, this has had the effect of considerably quietening the Hun snipers.”

The citation for Distinguished Conduct Medal reads:

“For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty at LIHONS on the 20th August 1918. Enemy snipers were very active and held commanding positions causing the front line troops a great amount of trouble. Private FRASER went out and secured sniping position in the vicinity of the front line. On the 21st August Private FRASER killed two of the enemy and wounded a third. Up to that time the Germans had been very aggressive. At 11 a.m. on the 22nd August a heavy barrage was put down on our front line and support and although in a concealed and not protected position Private FRASER remained on duty, killing three more of the enemy who exposed themselves to observe the effect of the barrage. Immediately the barrage lifted Private FRASER observed a party of ten of the enemy endeavouring to re-occupy a forward post that had been withdrawn during the barrage and was responsible for killing two more of this party and wounding a third. In addition to silencing enemy sniping, so saving a number of casualties, the information gained by Private FRASER was of the greatest value to the front line. His work during the whole tour displayed an untiring energy and utter disregard to personal safety which greatly inspired the front line men.” (Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 109 Date: 15 September 1919)

The following is a letter that has found its way into my care. I believe it to have been written by either Dorothy or Joan Mildren. This is the family’s recollections of John George Fraser. Some inaccuracies may be evident but this is their understanding and beliefs of that time. It is unclear when this account was written.

“Son of (Elder) James John Somerville Frew Fraser of Heathcote (*now Winfrith of Peter and Isobel May)

Other members of family Margaret (Mrs Parkinson), Jesse (Mrs Tyler), Perc, Isobel (Mrs Mildren) and Barbara (Mrs Whitehead).

Heathcote farm consisted of 640 acres of stones and dirt over a rabbit warren.

Jack Fraser’s Mother died while they were all quite young. Her name was **Catherine (nee Bell). James John Fraser was not industrious. Kind and timely help was received from close relations. Each of the children had to work.

Out of frustration and continuous need the Old Man was apt to bully. Almost all the children knew times of despair and fright. My mother, Isobel, said Jack Fraser never turned away and never shed a tear.

He displayed outstanding skill as a marksman being virtually unbeatable on local ranges. During one period of drought when the rabbits were moving through in plague proportion such was the dire need of the Fraser family that Perc and the girls were left to look after what stock and crop were left while JJ Fraser and his eldest son John took what horses and (not clear what word is) pigs/things they needed and travelled through to the Gawler Ranges shooting kangaroos.

They came home with some reasonable quantity of skins to pay their store bills for a while and some harrowing tales of hardships and survival.

On the outbreak of World War 1, Jack Fraser joined the AIF. I only know of him seeing action in France. He was then married to Ida Mayers of the Kolballa. Aunt Ida was a wonderful kindly woman who I believe would have accepted her lot of a soldier’s wife with quiet fortitude.

Ones fortunes are always apt to vary moment to moment. More so during a time of violence such as war. As well as a front line rifleman, Jack Fraser had the added duties of sniper (sharp shooter) and scout.

One evening Jack together with his unit was briefed for a skirmish with German fortification. The operation to take place the next morning. By then Jack was unwell and reported to the medical officer. He was declared unfit. His comrades marched off on their mission – and into oblivion. None were ever seen again.

On another occasion Jack was intent on doing some sniping at any unwary German soldier who lacked (not clear what word is) “caution” for a moment. In searching for a suitable vantage point he used the high embankment of a railway line for cover. Having considered he was far enough away from his own trenches he climbed up the embankment and onto the line just as a German soldier climbed up the embankment and onto the railway line coming from the opposite direction, each with the same intentions.  Each threw up their rifle and fired, each missed and each turned and ran.

Little has even been said of Jack Fraser’s effort in earning a Military Medal (nominated for a distinguished conduct medal).

My Mother, Isabel Mildren, once recalled as much as she seemed to know of the episode. Under intense and advancing German attack, Jack Fraser refused to abandon disabled comrades and brought them to safety.

My Mother said that Jack was informed that he had been recommended for a “High Award”. He responded by telling those in charge that he had had help and would not have managed alone. At Jack’s insistence the award was reconsidered and a Military Medal the essential outcome.

Jack’s wife and his family received a letter from King George V congratulating them on behalf of their husband and father thanking them for his services.

They proudly displayed this Citation for all to see and many were the heartfelt congratulations with one exception.

Perc Fraser had married Elsie Ives, a wonderful matriarch whose hospitality towards travellers and visitors was wonderful to behold and experience. She was fiercely proud and envious of her own immediate of family. My Mother said “Aunt Elsie read the Citation from a lofty posture, raised her chin even further and said quite sharply “The King didn’t write that. His Secretary did”.

During a period of the Great World War when the German armies were relentlessly attacking and overwhelming many of the Allied armies, Jack Fraser’s Company was hard pressed and in danger of being overwhelmed. As the company scout, Jack and two other men were given messages to take to support positions to the rear of the front line.

The war was everywhere and “no-mans land” began once over the sand bagged parapet. Jack and his commandos ran over the battle scarred ground as hard as their legs would carry them. When his lungs would stand no more Jack Fraser collapsed into an excavation caused by an exploding shell. When his breath was manageable again he repeated the effort and kept it up from shell hole to shell hole until he was helped exhausted into the reserve trenches.

He delivered his message and once he had recovered sufficiently, asked for the loan of a pair of binoculars. He then stood full height on the sand bags on the edge of the trench and proceeded to search for signs of his mates when a German bullet passed through his body in the region of his hips.

He was taken to a field hospital but so intense was the conflict and so numerous were the casualties that he was obliged to lay on a stretcher in the snow for 2 days before receiving attention. He spent 8 months healing and convalescing, most of the time in England. He was then sent back to France and back to active service.

We are none of us born with knowledge and including that of the knowledge of history, knowledge disappears as completely as the flame of a smiffed (?) candle unless it is written down and then the problem is to write it accurately even with the best intention.

My informants were my mother Isie Mildren, my Grandfather JJ Fraser and my cousin Roy Tyler. I’ve tried to reproduce as verbatim as possible.

When Julius Cesar conquered Gaul he introduced teachers of Roman language and numerals (he also gave them all Roman names).

The Goulish elders were in despair because they believed that their young fold would lose the ability to retain and relate knowledge by way of their remarkably well trained memories, minds.

When God made creatures great and small he gave them a wonderful instinct to protect and provide for their mates and off-springs. When Jack Fraser, like so many other men with well-tuned instincts, went half way around the world to do battle with a formidable foe he stood to gain not one square inch of another nation’s territory or 1 cent of another nation’s wealth. He only knew that his future and that of his family was insecure if that foe was successful.”

Jack was discharged from service on 13^th August 1919, returning home to adjust back into a “normal” life. Was that possible for such a man; gentle yet competitive and able to recognize his responsibilities. My Grandmother said he didn’t discuss the war much that she knew of, but of course she was a young child and it wasn’t something for young ears to hear. There was a general feeling in the family that he didn’t like to discuss the topic. His experiences didn’t rest easy with him. What had to be done at the time was done. Years later and half a world away those brave feats played on Jack’s mind. Described as being a “crack” sniper, each time he dispatched an enemy soldier, being a father himself, he knew someone at home would be receiving the news that their loved one would not be returning from this “great” war. Jack had to reconcile this was of his doing.

So he didn’t speak of it much.

The medals of Jack Fraser were lost to the family as far as my Grandmother Isabel Boehm knew. It seems the medals were left to a family member who fell on hard times and was obliged to raise money through the sale of these precious objects. The mystery of where these medals are now is something I’d hoped to solve for my Grandmother before her death. Unfortunately this wasn’t to be the case. I would still like to know where these medals have ended up.

** Elizabeth