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Sir Charles Craufurd Fraser
"Conspicuous & cool". Caricature by "Spy" (Leslie Ward) published in Vanity Fair in 1879.
Born	31 August 1829 London, England
Died	7 June 1895 (aged 65) Sloane Street, London
Buried	Brompton Cemetery
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	British Army
Rank	Lieutenant-General
Unit	7th Hussars 11th Hussars
Battles / wars	Indian Mutiny Abyssinian War
Awards	Victoria Cross Order of the Bath
Relations	Sir James Fraser (father)
Other work	Member of Parliament

Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Craufurd Fraser VC KCB (31 August 1829 – 7 June 1895) was a British Army officer and Conservative politician. He was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Early life

Fraser was the third son of Sir James Fraser and his wife Charlotte Anne Craufurd. He joined the 7th Hussars (The Queen's Own), British Army as a cornet in 1847, became lieutenant in 1850 and captain in 1854. On 5 January 1858 he became orderly officer for Brigadier Campbell at Munseata near Allahabad and was promoted to major on 20 July 1858.

Victoria Cross

Fraser was 29 years old, and a major in the 7th Hussars (The Queen's Own) during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 when the following deed took place on 31 December 1858 at the River Raptee, India for which he was awarded the VC:

For conspicuous and cool gallantry, on the 31st December, 1858, in having volunteered, at great personal risk, and under a sharp fire of musketry, to swim to the rescue of Captain Stisted, and some men of the 7th Hussars, who were in imminent danger of being drowned in the River Raptee, while in pursuit of the rebels. Major Fraser succeeded in this gallant service, although at the time partially disabled, not having recovered from a severe wound received while leading a Squadron in a charge against some fanatics, in the action of Nawabgunge, on the 13th June, 1858.

He was also awarded the Royal Humane Society's Medal 1st Class.

Later career

Fraser transferred to the 11th Hussars in 1859 and became commanding officer as lieutenant colonel in 1861. He became colonel in 1866 and was commandant at headquarters during the Abyssinian War. He was mentioned in despatches and awarded CB. In 1868 he became colonel of the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars and was promoted to major-general in 1870. He was aide-de-camp to the Duke of Cambridge lord-lieutenant of Ireland, from 1873 to 1877. In 1880 he became inspector-general of cavalry in Ireland until 1884 and was later in command of the cavalry at Aldershot. He retired with the rank of lieutenant general in 1886.

In 1885 Fraser was elected Member of Parliament for Lambeth North. He was knighted in 1891 and held the Lambeth seat until 1892.

In 1895 Fraser died in Sloane Street London at the age of 65.

References

1. "No. 22445". The London Gazette. 8 November 1860. p. 4126.
2. Biography Archived 14 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine
3. Lieutenant General Sir C C Fraser Archived 14 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine
4. Debretts Guide to the House of Commons 1886

External links

• Location of grave and VC medal (Brompton Cemetery)
• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Charles Fraser

• 1829 births
• 1895 deaths
• Military personnel from London
• British Army lieutenant generals
• British recipients of the Victoria Cross
• Indian Rebellion of 1857 recipients of the Victoria Cross
• Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath
• Burials at Brompton Cemetery
• 7th Queen's Own Hussars officers
• Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
• UK MPs 1885–1886
• UK MPs 1886–1892
• British military personnel of the Abyssinian War
• 11th Hussars officers
• 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars officers
• Younger sons of baronets
• 19th-century British people
• British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross