Description
Territorial Force War Medal, WW1 Victory Medal, 6095 Gunner William Fraser, Royal Artillery. A Scotsman from Culbokie, Rosshire who was after the war deployed to Iraq.
His medal index card recalls the medal to be issued to “Culbokie, Ross-shire Scotland.”
Culbokie (aka The Haunted Nook) is a small village in the Scottish Highlands, on the “Black Isle” in Ross and Cromarty.
Also earned the matching British War Medal and after the war the General Service Medal, bar Iraq for further service.
William served in the war with the 151st Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery Territorial Force.
The 151st Siege Battery was form in Broughty Ferry in Dundee from men from the various North Scottish Territorial RGA units going over to France in August 1916 getting involved right away in the ongoing Battle of the Somme.
They went over to France and of note, Captain Robert John Blackadder, the “Real Blackadder” from Dundee who led the unit with success to earn the Military Cross, his diary is at the Imperial War Museum some choice extracts recalling the fighting that Pte Fraser would have seen are noted in this article on “The Observation Post”
What a cunning plan! The original Captain Blackadder was from Dundee
Also one of the notable personal memoirs written after the war was written by Bombardier William Shaw, a fellow soldier in the 151st Siege Battery titled “Call the Roll, Memories of a Flag Wagger”. William was from a German Family who fought against the Germans, having changed the family name from “Schum” to “Shaw” in 1915.
During his service he held the service numbers: 6095, 173532 and 1412601.
he would earn the GSM Iraq with the 5th Medium Battery R.G.A.
During the Arab Revolt the 5th Medium Battery was apparently under siege at Baqubah from July to August 1920, manning a 6 Inch Howitzer, a 60 Pounder and 2 Stokes Mortars.