Biographical Data

Fraser-Harris, Alexander Beaufort Fraser

Personal Image

Photo Credit: Unknown

 
 
Title Commodore (RCN)
Official Number (nk)
 
Birth 16/11/1916 Death 29/10/2003
Place Halifax Place Bournemouth
Area NS Area
Country Canada Country UK
 
Titles
Honours DSC & Bar. M.I.D. Legionnaire of the Legion of Merit (USA)
Awards
Qualifications
 
Biography
After his naval service he became a charter boat skipper in the West Indies.
 
Military Service
He was appointed as a Naval Cadet RN (With seniority dated 01/09/1930). He served in the Royal Naval College 1930. He was appointed as a Midshipman RN 1936. He served in H.M.S. Achilles for Training 1936. He served in H.M.S. Repulse for Training 1936. He served in H.M.S. Westcott for Training (International Non-Intervention Patrol for Spanish Civil War) 1937. He was appointed as an A/Sub-Lieutenant RN (With seniority dated 01/01/1937). He was appointed as a Sub-Lieutenant RN 1938. He served in H.M.S. Winchelsea for Watchkeeping Certificate 1938. He undertook Flying Training at Civilian Clubs. He was gazetted into the RAF as a Pilot Officer RAF in addition to his naval rank. He served in RAF Netheravon for Flying Training 1938. He was Awarded Wings 01/04/1939. He served in RNAS Donbristle for Naval Fighter Course and Advanced Flying Training 1939. He served in H.M.S. Argus for Deck Landing Training 1939. He was appointed as a Lieutenant RN (With seniority dated 16/05/1939). He served in H.M.S. Glorious (803 Squadron (Skua)) 1939. He served in RNAS Wick for Convoy Patrols 1939. He served in H.M.S. Glorious for raids to sink the German cruiser Koenigsberg 1940. He served in H.M.S. Heron RNAS Eastleigh for 759 Fighter Training Squadron (Hurricane) as Instructor 1940. He served in RNAS Yeovilton for 759 Fighter Training Squadron as Instructor 1940. He served in H.M.S. Tern (II) for 801 Squadron (Hurricane) as Flight Commander 1941. He served in H.M.S. Ark Royal (807 Squadron (Skua)) as Commanding Officer 1940. He served in H.M.S. Argus (807 Squadron (Fulmar)) 1942. He served in H.M.S. Furious for 807 Squadron (Seafire) 1942. He was shot down during attacks on shipping and seaplane base at Trondheim Norway, returned to UK 1940. He was shot down in the desert attacking airfields at Oran and made a prisoner-of-war of the Vichy French forces for five days in 1942. He was appointed as an A/Lieutenant-Commander (A) RN 01/02/1943). He served as Senior Operations Officer to Flag Officer Naval Air Service 1943. He served in RAF Millfield for Wing Leader's Course (Spitfire II and V) 1944. He served in H.M.S. Afrikander (RNAS Wingfield) as Chief Flying Instructor and Commander (Flying) 1944. He was appointed as a Lieutenant-Commander (P) RN 16/08/1945. He served in H.M.S. Afrikander (RNAS Wingfield) as Commanding Officer 1945, (Awarded additional seniority for "meritorious war service"), LHe was appointed as a ieutenant-Commander (A) RN 16/08/1945, (Transferred to RCNR) 1946. He was appointed as a Lieutenant-Commander (P) RCN(R) (With seniority dated 13/11/1946). (Transferred to RCN) 1946, He was appointed as a Lieutenant-Commander RCN (With seniority dated 19/12/1946). He served in NHQ as Commanding Officer Naval Air Section and as Lieutenant-Commander (Flying) 1946. He served as Commanding Officer No.1 Training Air Group 1947. He was appointed as a Commander RCN (With seniority dated 01/07/1948). He served in HMCS Stadacona as Commander-in-Command of Royal Canadian Naval Air Section Dartmouth NS 1948, He was appointed as an A/Captain RCN (With seniority dated 01/12/1948). (Reverted to rank of Commander RCN (With seniority dated 01/08/1949). He served in the USN War College Course 1949. He served in HMCS Nootka (II) (In command) (Korean War Service) 1950. He served in HMCS Stadacona as Commander RCN Barracks 1951, He was appointed as a Captain RCN (With seniority dated 01/01/1954). He served in NHQ as Director of Naval Aviation 1953. He served in the National Defence College of Canada (Course 9) 1955. He served in HMCS Magnificent (In command) and for Helicopter Qualification1956. He served in the Suez Canal Crisis as Naval Deputy to UN Commander 1956. He served on the Staff of Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic as Assistant Director (Plans Annual Review) 1957. He served in NHQ as Director of Naval Ship Requirements 1960. He was appointed as a Commodore RCN (With seniority dated 12/10/1962). He served in NHQ as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air and Warfare). (He was retired on 29/04/1965.)
 
Vessels Owned
Aircraft Flown Service Aircraft Flown: Avro Tutor, Tiger Moth, Hart, Audax, D.B., Gladiator, Skua, Roc, Master, Proctor, Spitfire, Whitney-Straight, Buffalo, Martlett, Fulamr, Hurricane, Swordfish, Seafire, Hellcat, Oxford, Reliant, Firefly, Beechcraft, Auster, Harvard, Anson, Seabee, Expeditor, Bell Copter, North Star, Dakota, HUD, Beaver, HU-P, HO4S, R6D, Djin, Otter
Named Features
 
Anecdotes
 
 
References
Government of Canada The Canadian Navy List Ottawa ON; Blatherwick, John (1992); MacFarlane, John M. (1994); MacFarlane, John and Robbie Hughes (1997); http://www.noac.ottawa.on.ca/Soundings.pdf;
Last update
2011-03-03 00:00:00

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