Hunts Post 5th October 1917
Lieut. M Fraser M.C. Wounded
Lieut. M F K Fraser, Yorks and Lancs Regiment, second son of Mr. Garden Fraser of Holywell, who was awarded the Military Cross and received his second star in August last, was wounded on September 18th by a hand grenade on the Western Front.
The following testimony has been given by his Colonel:-
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. As intelligence officer he carried out his work in a most gallant manner. He was continuously up and down the line under very heavy bombardments and never spared himself from start to finish, and it was due to his untiring energy that touch was kept throughout the whole of the operations, both day and night, with battalions on the left and right flanks – at times a very difficult matter. Second-Lieutenant Fraser personally led a party against the strong point on the right of the final objective, which has been holding us up for some time, killing a number of the enemy, and taking several prisoners, and it was in no small measure due to this fine bit of work that we took our final objective at the first assault. Throughout the whole of the operations his conduct and the example he set was magnificent.
M.F.K. Fraser received the Military Cross for work as an intelligence officer in July 1915. He is not listed on our roll of honour being born in Hemingford Abbots, and maybe because his parents separated when he was a child and his mother took him first to Birmingham, then to London to live. However he was still Garden Fraser’s second son, and Garden lived and died in Holywell.
This man was my grandfather, he had 3 sons named Alistair, Ian and Andrew, Ian was my father. This is the first and only information I’ve found concerning Michie’s war exploits and it has made me very proud. I had never heard of his father so this has enabled me to do further research. Thank you.
I am glad to be able to help. Can I add you to the mailing list for any updates to this site?
Peter
He was also my grandfather, Fiona! My father was Andrew.
Michie’s father, our great grandfather, was William Garden Fraser, a fine watercolourist and one of a family of equally talented artists, living in Huntingdonshire. I never knew any of this growing up! Michie was a theatre critic in Birmingham after the War and also very keen on cricket. A pair of gates at one of the entrances to Edgbaston Cricket Ground were named after him at one time!
He was also my grandfather, Fiona! My father was Andrew.
Michie was a rather amazing man with many interests after his war service ended…journalism, cricket, theatre, etc. I was too young to appreciate it but my sister remembers sitting on Groucho Marx’s knee at grandpa’s house. He often had actors staying there. His father, our great grandfather, was William Garden Fraser, a fine watercolour artist with many extraordinarily talented siblings. Not so good at the marriage/financial support business however! I knew nothing of WGF and and his brothers until very recently.
My daughter is also a journalist..so the traditions continue…