Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The Second World War 1939-1945, World-wide.

Although many perished in times of national conflict and in the service of their country, many more survived including those interned as Prisoners of War. Stories of those who did survive are included as part of this site, especially those with high gallantry awards, those included against an external rolls of honour and those who had a distinguished career in wartime and military leaderhip.

Detail :

Awarded The Victoria Cross, London Gazette 13th November, 1945 for his actions in The Johore Straits, Singapore, Malaya on Tuesday, 31st July, 1945.

He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross - London Gazette 2nd April 1943 Supp:35967 Page:1584. Also to appear in The London Gazette: Publication date: 9th November 1945 Supplement:37346 Page:5529, was his award for the highest level of valour:

The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the VICTORIA CROSS for valour to:
Lieutenant Ian Edward FRASER, D.S.C., R.N.R.

"Lieutenant Fraser commanded His Majesty's Midget Submarine XE-3 in a successful attack on a Japanese heavy cruiser of the Atago class at her moorings in Johore Strait, Singapore, on 3ist July, 1945- Buring the long approach up the Singapore Straits XE-3 deliberately left the believed safe channel and entered mined waters to avoid suspected hydrophone posts. The target was aground, or nearly aground, both fore and aft, and only under the midship portion was there just sufficient water for XE-3 to place herself under the cruiser. For forty minutes XE-3 pushed her way along the seabed until finally Lieutenant Fraser managed to force her right under the centre of the cruiser.

Here he placed the limpets and dropped his main side charge. Great difficulty was experienced in extricating the craft after the attack had been completed, but finally XE-3 was clear, and commenced her long return journey out to sea. The courage and determination of Lieutenant Fraser are beyond all praise. Any man not possessed of his relentless determination to achieve his object in full, regardless of all consequences, would have dropped his side charge alongside the target instead of persisting until he had forced his submarine right under the cruiser. The approach and withdrawal entailed a passage of 80 miles through water which had been mined by both the enemy and ourselves, past hydrophone positions, over loops and controlled minefields, and through an anti-submarine boom."

London Gazette: 29 November 1946 Supplement:37805 Page:5912
The KING has been graciously pleased to give unrestricted permission for the wearing of the following decorations bestowed by the President of the United States of America:
Legion of Merit, Degree of Officer.
"For outstanding services whilst in command of H.-M. Submarine XE-3 in Johore Strait: Lieutenant Ian Edward FRASER, V.C., D.S.C., R.N.R"

See also: VC Online.

Masonic :

Little can be gleaned from the Book "Beyond the Five Points" about Ian's Masonic Career, which evidently stepped beyond the Craft. He was a member of a Conclave of The Red Cross of Constantine and in the Orders of the Holy Sepulchre and of Saint John the Evangelist. There is mention of his accession to Past Provincial Senior Grand Deacon in 1979 (presumed West Lancashire).

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley