Private Alexander Frazer
Alexander Swann Frazer was born on 18 February 1892 at Ballintemple, Newtownhamilton, County Armagh, the last of twelve children of farmer Alexander Frazer and his wife Margaret (née Boyd). At the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Ballintemple with his parents, two siblings, a nephew and a niece, and working on the family farm.
Frazer enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 1 and 5 February 1913 (No.799). He embarked for France with A Squadron on 17 August 1914, seeing action on the retreat from Mons and advance to the Aisne.
A letter home at the time from another A Squadron man, Robert Burke, mentions "Isaac Robb & Martin Andrew and Sandy Frazer & one of the Forsythes" all from south Armagh
A Squadron then served as escort and bodyguard to the BEF's commander-in-chief at St Omer from October 1914 until January 1916, when it was posted as divisional cavalry to the 55th Division. In May and June 1916 A, D and E Squadrons of the North Irish Horse combined to form the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment, and C and F Squadrons joined the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons Service Squadron to form the 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment, each serving as corps cavalry units. In September 1917 the 2nd NIH Regiment was disbanded and most its men, together with some surplus to the needs of the 1st NIH Regiment, were transferred to the infantry, most joining the 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers – renamed the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion.
Frazer was one of the men transferred, but later than most, on 26 November 1917, as he was undergoing treatment in hospital for impetigo. He was issued regimental number 41644.
At present nothing more is known of his service during the war.
Frazer's brother William John, "a well-known South Armagh Orangeman and loyalist" (Northern Whig and Belfast Post 25 June 1924) was kidnapped by three armed men near Newry on 5 July 1922. His remains were discovered two years later in a bog hole, a coroner's inquest finding that he had been murdered.
This page last updated 8 October 2023.