From 1908-1940 he was a manager with Brown Harrison & Co, International Financiers. He married Ella Cox Smith on 4 May 1923. He was a long time resident of Sevenoaks. His first son Donald Boyd was born on 25 Sep 1927 and his second Ian MacKenzie was born on 3 Dec 1928. In 1933 he moved into Scotsgrove, a large house on an exclusive drive set in 2 1/2 acres of garden. (In May 2022 it would sell for over £4 million)
On 14 Jul 1935 he was involved in the tragic crash of the KLM Fokker F22 air liner “Kwikstaart” close to Amsterdam’s Schipol airport. Shortly after take off, the plane lost power and during an attempted emergency landing on a nearby road, the wing hit a dyke and caused it to crash. 14 of those on board escaped before the plane exploded, but six men, four crew and two English passengers, were killed. Fraser escaped without injury.
Fraser was interviewed by a Daily Mirror journalist shortly afterwards and said,
”The machine took off, rose and turned to the left. It seemed to me to bank more steeply than is usual. As it did so I felt a sensation of falling. My only thought was: Are you going to be killed or not? Then came the crash, and I was flung out of my seat. I picked myself and up and climbed from the plane. There was no panic. Everyone appeared to behave very calmly, and no one pushed or jostled anyone."
Other reports suggest he was on his way to Hamburg or Copenhagen, two of the stops en route to Malmo. The pilot was a German Jew, sacked due to changes in the law, but KLM had employed him immediately afterwards at Lufthansa’s request.
Immigration records record that he travelled extensively, including a trip to New York with his wife in 1936, following a previous spolo trip in 1933.
He appears to have remained at Scotsgrove throughout his time with Auxiliary Units. In Jan 1941 he advertised for a new gardener, requesting a man above military age or exempt from service. His previous gardener, Henry Burchatt, who had held the job since Fraser bought the house, had been taken ill and sadly would die 2 years later.
| Unit or location | Role | Posted from | until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harston, Area 14 | Intelligence Officer | 15 Jul 1940 | 22 Apr 1944 |
| Kent Network, Area 13 | Intelligence Officer | 05 Jul 1940 | 07 Jul 1944 |
| Sevenoaks Headquarters | Intelligence Officer | 15 Jul 1940 | 07 Jul 1944 |
Manager of Finance Investing House
29 May 1940 Joined Section D for work on the Home Defence Scheme.
15 July 1940 Transferred from General List to Intelligence Corps, Auxiliary Units Special Duties Intelligence Officer for Kent and Sussex.
In November 1942 he was assessed for service with SOE. However, although a file was opened, he decided that he would not want to serve overseas and therefore did not join them. He continued with Auxiliary Units and was promoted Major by 1943.
The National Archives File HS9/540/8,
Beatrice Temple Diary
London Gazette Commission 13 Aug 1940, transfer to Intelligence Corps, 6 Sep 1940
Kent and Sussex Courier 24 Jan 1941, 19 Jul 1935
Sevenoaks Chronicle 7 Dec 1928, 10 Dec 1943
Western Press 15 Jul 1935
Daily Mirror 15 Jul 1935