Major General Sir Charles Craufurd Fraser, VC, KCB, late 7th Hussars (The Queen's Own). He was the third son of Sir James Fraser and Charlotte Anne Fraser (nee Craufurd). He was commissioned into the 7th Hussars as a Cornet on 3 Dec 1847. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 14 Jun 1850, to Captain on 21 Apr 1854 and to Brevet Major on 20 Jul 1858. During the Indian Mutiny (1857-1859) he served as a Major in the 7th Hussars. On 5 Jan 1858 he became orderly officer for Brigadier Campbell at Munseata near Allahabad. On 13 Jun 1858, the 3rd and 4th Squadrons of the 7th Hussars were in an engagement with hostiles on the River Raptee Oudh, India. When one of the squadrons was cut off in the attack, a Captain with three other men were wounded and pinned down on a small bank in the middle of the river. Assured of certain death if they remained on the sand bank, Major Fraser, although still recovering from having been previously wounded, swam to the men under constant musket fire, returning fire with his revolver and succeeded in the rescue of the trapped men. For gallantry under fire, he was awarded the Victoria Cross in December 1858.
"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 transferred to the 11th Hussars in 1859, was promoted to Major on 13 May 1859 and took over command on promotion to Lieutenant Colonel on 18 Jan 1861. He was promoted to Colonel on 18 Jan 1866 and was Commandant at headquarters during the Abyssinian War. He was mentioned in despatches and awarded the CB. In 1868 he became Colonel of the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars and was promoted to Major General on 25 Jul 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 he was elected Member of Parliament for Lambeth North. He was knighted in 1891 and held the Lambeth seat until 1892. He died in Sloane Street, London on 7 Jun 1895 aged 65 years. He was buried in Brompton Cemetery, West Brompton, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Greater London, England.
Actual burial here
"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 transferred to the 11th Hussars in 1859, was promoted to Major on 13 May 1859 and took over command on promotion to Lieutenant Colonel on 18 Jan 1861. He was promoted to Colonel on 18 Jan 1866 and was Commandant at headquarters during the Abyssinian War. He was mentioned in despatches and awarded the CB. In 1868 he became Colonel of the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars and was promoted to Major General on 25 Jul 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 he was elected Member of Parliament for Lambeth North. He was knighted in 1891 and held the Lambeth seat until 1892. He died in Sloane Street, London on 7 Jun 1895 aged 65 years. He was buried in Brompton Cemetery, West Brompton, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Greater London, England.
Actual burial here
Major General Sir Charles Craufurd Fraser, VC, KCB, late 7th Hussars (The Queen's Own). He was the third son of Sir James Fraser and Charlotte Anne Fraser (nee Craufurd). He was commissioned into the 7th Hussars as a Cornet on 3 Dec 1847. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 14 Jun 1850, to Captain on 21 Apr 1854 and to Brevet Major on 20 Jul 1858. During the Indian Mutiny (1857-1859) he served as a Major in the 7th Hussars. On 5 Jan 1858 he became orderly officer for Brigadier Campbell at Munseata near Allahabad. On 13 Jun 1858, the 3rd and 4th Squadrons of the 7th Hussars were in an engagement with hostiles on the River Raptee Oudh, India. When one of the squadrons was cut off in the attack, a Captain with three other men were wounded and pinned down on a small bank in the middle of the river. Assured of certain death if they remained on the sand bank, Major Fraser, although still recovering from having been previously wounded, swam to the men under constant musket fire, returning fire with his revolver and succeeded in the rescue of the trapped men. For gallantry under fire, he was awarded the Victoria Cross in December 1858.
"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 transferred to the 11th Hussars in 1859, was promoted to Major on 13 May 1859 and took over command on promotion to Lieutenant Colonel on 18 Jan 1861. He was promoted to Colonel on 18 Jan 1866 and was Commandant at headquarters during the Abyssinian War. He was mentioned in despatches and awarded the CB. In 1868 he became Colonel of the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars and was promoted to Major General on 25 Jul 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 he was elected Member of Parliament for Lambeth North. He was knighted in 1891 and held the Lambeth seat until 1892. He died in Sloane Street, London on 7 Jun 1895 aged 65 years. He was buried in Brompton Cemetery, West Brompton, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Greater London, England.
Actual burial here
"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 transferred to the 11th Hussars in 1859, was promoted to Major on 13 May 1859 and took over command on promotion to Lieutenant Colonel on 18 Jan 1861. He was promoted to Colonel on 18 Jan 1866 and was Commandant at headquarters during the Abyssinian War. He was mentioned in despatches and awarded the CB. In 1868 he became Colonel of the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars and was promoted to Major General on 25 Jul 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 he was elected Member of Parliament for Lambeth North. He was knighted in 1891 and held the Lambeth seat until 1892. He died in Sloane Street, London on 7 Jun 1895 aged 65 years. He was buried in Brompton Cemetery, West Brompton, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Greater London, England.
Actual burial here
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