Harold Livingstone Fraser: Meet a local ANZAC

Harold Livingstone Fraser was born in Rockhampton in 1890, the 12th child of Scottish couple William and Annie Fraser.  He was working as a station overseer when he enlisted for World War One in January 1915, aged 24.

Fraser fought in the Gallipoli campaign with the Australian Imperial Force's 5th Light Horse Regiment.  In April 1917 he transferred to the Australian Flying Corps' 1 Squadron, and was a lieutenant by that September.  He was awarded the Military Cross for distinguished services in the field.  He was invalided home to Australia in July 1918.

After the war Fraser went back to primary production, and also kept his hand in aviation.  In 1931 he founded Rockhampton Aerial Services, a passenger and small freight service between CQ and the then-distant southeast corner.  Their maiden flight took six and a half hours.

In 1936 Fraser walked away uninjured from a crash near Capella, after his plane lost both engine and propeller at 4,000ft.  His plane destroyed and money tight, Fraser sold RAS to Airlines of Australia and bought a cattle station at Dingo.

 Harold Livingstone Fraser passed away in Kingaroy in 1950, from injuries sustained in a house fire.  He was survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.