- Surnames starting with the letter D. 

Harold (Haddo) Reginald Drummond-Fraser MC

Rank:Captain
Ship/Rgn/Sqn No:05th (Earl of Chester's) Bn [1]
Name of Rgt or Ship:Cheshire Rgt
Died:01/08/18Age:22
How Died:Killed in Action
Country of burial:FranceGrave Photo:Yes
Cemetery or Memorial:Raperie British Cemetery, Villemontoire
Town Memorial:Altrincham
Extra Information:
Born during the September quarter 1895 in the Chorlton R.D. - ref: 8c/918,
the younger son of Sir Drummond K.B.E. & Lady Fraser.

1901 Census - 135 Palatine Road, Withington, Manchester. Son - aged: 5 -
born: Manchester.   Head of household - Drummond Fraser - Married - aged:
38 - occ: Bank Manager - born: Manchester. Also - Vally R. Fraser - Wife -
aged: 32 - born: Scotland.   Plus his elder brother and 2 servants.

1911 Census - Charterhouse School, Godalming, Scholar - aged: 15 - born:
Manchester.

His parents were then residing at 'Earlscliffe', Devisdale Road, Dunham
Massey.  His father - Drummond Fraser - Married - aged: 43 - occ: Bank
Manager - born: Manchester.   Alsdo listed was his mother - Vally Drummod
Fraser - Wife - aged: 40 - born: Dundee, Forfar, Scotland.   Plus 3
domestic servants.

Educated at Tan-Y-Bryn Preparatory School, Llandudno Charterhouse &
Cambridge University.  He was in the middle of an Honours degree in
Engineering at Clare College, Cambridge.

His father was the Managing Director of the Manchester & Liverpool District
Bank whose Head Office was at Spring Gardens, Manchester.

Due to being short sighted and having an intermittent heart beat, he was
rejected for service by 11 different regiments.  It was not until April
1915 that he eventually succeeded in being Commissioned in the Earl of
Chester's Bn - a new reserve Bn under Colonel Bromley.     He attended
courses at Oxford & Altcar where he obtained a 1st Class in Musketry 

His MIC states that he was posted to Egypt, but gives no date.

He was first drafted to Egypt , then Palestine, where he was attached to
the 1st Bn - Hereford Rgt.   At the end of June 1917, he was sent to France
and promoted to the rank of Captain.   He had two narrow escapes - the
first was in August 1917 when a patrol of eight of them met up with five
times as many Turks.   They rushed the Turks, firing as they went - he
killed one with his pistol, then took the pin out of a 5 second fuse hand
grenade - held it for 3 seconds before throwing it at the Turks, killing
more of them - the remainder vanished.     His second lucky escape was on
the 6th November 1917 when the Regiment attacked up the side of a steep
hill.    They had just killed some Turks, when a jar on his right side made
him pull up sharp.    A shout from one of his men - "It's all right sir"
allowed him to continue fighting without a break., whilst his field glasses
fell to the ground cut into two by a Turkish bayonet.   A long newspaper
article.

His death was reported in the 13/08/1918 edition of the Altrincham
Guardian.

After his death, his CO wrote to his parents informing them that he had
been in the firing line the whole day on the 23rd July.  He said that he
was a born organiser and that his dispositions in the line left nothing for
the CO to do except say yes to his every proposal. He was killed by a shot
through the head, as he led his Company forward, on the 1st August. 

M.I. - "Younger brother of Murray, killed June 3 - 1915.   Greater love
hath no man than this".

His father was a member of the Manchester Reform Club, 81 King Street,
Manchester.


Memorials found on:
St. Margaret's (Dunham Massey)
Manchester Reform Club
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