Geburtsjahr: 1881

Geburtsort: Edinburgh, Midlothian, Vereinigtes Königreich, Schottland

Beruf: Maltmann

Land: Vereinigtes Königreich, Schottland

Truppe: British Expeditionary Force

Rang: Private

Dienstnummer: 352346

Einheiten:  —  Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment), 1/9th Bn. (Highlanders)  (Letzte bekannte Einheit)

Sterbedatum: 20/09/1917

Sterbeort: Pheasant Trench, Belgien

Todesursache: Im Kampf gefallen

Alter: 36

British War Medal Medaille — 27/10/1920

Victory Medal Medaille — 27/10/1920

Private William Stuart Fraser served with the 1/9th Battalion of the Royal Scots (Lothian) Regiment which was part of the 154th Brigade of the 51st (Highland) Division. The (Highland) Division took part in the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917. Starting from the 20th of September the 1/9th Battalion of Private William Fraser was involved in the Battle of Menin Road Ridge.
On the 20th of September 1917 at Zero Hour 5.40 a.m. the British artillery put down a covering barrage. The men of the 9th Royal Scots got well away and advanced close behind the barrage with the Seaforths on their right side. The Royal Scots encountered strong resistance in and around Pheasant Trench. Considerable opposition came from strong points at Vieilles Maisons. But these were speedily overcome.
On the left from Poelkappelle Road to the Lekkerboterbeek, the attacking waves of “B” Company were stopped by heavy machine gun fire and the men were forced to withdraw to their original lines. Once reorganised they advanced again and managed to reach Phaesent trench. On finding the trench still occupied by Germans, the right flank commander and his unit worked their way along it, while the second wave of “D” company of the 9th Battalion passed by. Around 6.45 a.m. Phaesant Trench on the right between Vieilles Maisons and New Houses, including all adjacent strong points, was captured and consolidated.
The attack was continued and the 9th Royal Scots moved on to take Flora Cottage. They came under enfilade fire from Hübner Farm, in the 58th Division area, to their right. Lewis guns were sent to help the Londoners of the 58th Division to capture Hübner Farm. The Royals Scots went on and took their objective, the Blue Line. The Seaforths and 7th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders passed through in good time. On their way they cleared the remaining resistance in Pheasant trench.
Throughout the rest of the day the Germans intermittently shelled the Langemark-Poelkappelle Line. After a heavy bombardment, the Germans assembled for a counter attack around 6 p.m. The weight of the attack was directed on the left flank of the Brigade resulting in the Seaforths to retire to Pheasant Trench. Once the men were rallied and after collecting ammunition they were able to recapture the lost ground.
Private William Fraser was killed in action on the 20th of September 1917 during the attack on Pheasant Trench. His remains were never recovered or never identified. Private William Fraser is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

9 Battalion The Royal Scots , (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/2887/5). Weitere Quellen

Ewing J., The Royal Scots: 1914-1919, (Edinburgh, Oliver and Boyd, 1925), pg. 475-479. Verwendete Quellen

McCarthy C., The Third Ypres Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Arms & Armour Press, 1995), pg. 76, 79-80. Verwendete Quellen

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/839247

Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=da9092eb-9623-48eb-a3ba-9f829a403f93

Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/1251162