David Fraser (British Army officer) facts for kids

General Sir David William Fraser (born December 30, 1920 – died July 15, 2012) was an important officer in the British Army. He was the head of the Royal College of Defence Studies from 1978 until he retired in 1980. Sir David was also a very busy writer. He published more than 20 books, mostly about the history of the Second World War.

Early Life and Education

David William Fraser was born on December 30, 1920. His father, William Fraser, was also a Brigadier in the army. David went to a famous school called Eton College. After school, he wanted to join the British Army right away, but he was not accepted at first. Instead, in January 1940, he went to Christ Church, Oxford, which is part of the University of Oxford.

Military Career

While studying at Oxford, David Fraser joined the Home Defence Force. This was a group that helped protect Britain during wartime. In October 1940, he began training at the Guards' Depot in Caterham, Surrey. He then took a special four-month course at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

Joining the Grenadier Guards

On April 4, 1941, he officially became an officer. He joined the Grenadier Guards as a second lieutenant. His first job was leading a small group of soldiers in the 2nd Battalion. This group was part of the Guards Armoured Division.

World War II and Beyond

During the last two years of the Second World War, he fought in the North West Europe Campaign. This was a major part of the war in Europe. He finished the war as a lieutenant.

After the war, he continued to rise through the ranks.

• In 1947, he became a captain.
• He served as a company commander in the Malayan Emergency in 1948. This was a conflict in Malaysia.
• After attending Staff College, he was promoted to major in 1954.
• He was involved in the Suez Crisis in 1956 and the Cyprus Emergency in 1958. These were other important military operations.
• By 1960, he was a lieutenant-colonel.

Senior Roles and Retirement

In 1962, David Fraser was awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). This is an honor given for important work. From 1966 to 1969, he worked at the Ministry of Defence. He helped plan army strategies.

He continued to take on bigger roles:

• In 1969, he became the General Officer Commanding the 4th Division.
• In 1971, he became Assistant Chief of Defence Staff.
• He was knighted in 1973, becoming Sir David Fraser.
• He represented the UK military at NATO in 1975.
• From 1978, he was the head of the Royal College of Defence Studies.

Sir David Fraser retired from the army in 1980. Just before retiring, he received an even higher honor, becoming a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath.

Later Life

After retiring from the military, Sir David Fraser remained active. He was the president of the Society for Army Historical Research from 1980 to 1993. This society studies the history of the army.

Personal Life

In 1947, David Fraser married Anne Balfour-Fraser. They had one daughter, Antonia. They later divorced in 1952. In 1957, he married Julia Frances Oldridge de la Hey. They had two sons, Alexander and Simon, and two daughters, Lucy and Arabella.

Books Written by Sir David Fraser

Sir David Fraser was a very active writer. He wrote many books, especially about military history. Here are some of his works:

• Knight's Cross: A Life of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel
• Frederick the Great: King of Prussia
• And We Shall Shock Them: British Army in the Second World War
• Alanbrooke
• The Grenadier Guards (Men at Arms Series, 73)
• Fairest Isle: BBC Radio 3 Book of British Music
• The Fortunes of War
• The Christian Watt Papers
• Wales in History: The Defenders, 1066–1485 Bk. 2
• Codename Mercury (Hardrow Chronicles)
• Around the House
• Wars and Shadows : Memoirs of General Sir David Fraser
• A Candle for Judas (Treason in Arms)
• Dragon's Teeth (Treason in Arms)
• The Pain of Winning (Hardrow Chronicles)
• Imperatives for Defence (Policy challenge), 1990
• Adam Hardrow (Hardrow Chronicles)
• Adam in the Breach (Hardrow Chronicles)
• The Killing Times (Treason in Arms)
• The Seizure (Treason in Arms)
• Wellington and the Waterloo Campaign (Wellington Lectures), March 1996
• August 1988
• To War with Whitaker: Wartime Diaries of the Countess of Ranfurly, 1939–45, (Reed Audio) with Hermione, Countess of Ranfurly, and Imogen Stubbs (Audio Cassette, 1995)
• Kiss for the Enemy (Thorndike Large Print Popular Series)