Harold FraserPrint Page

The Harold Fraser Oval commemorates the community service of Harold Fraser.  

Harold Edwin Fraser was born at Newtown on 4 July 1893.   He attended Glebe Superior Public School and later Sydney University. His sporting interests at school were rugby and cricket. After leaving school he worked in the Officers' Clerical Division with the NSW Railways until enlisting in April 1915.  

He served in the campaign at Gallipoli before being posted to Egypt, Northern France and Belgium in 1916.  He was later promoted to sergeant before joining the Australian Flying Corps.  

He was also an accomplished pianist and, on returning to Australia after the war formed, with fellow members of his Squadron, a jazz band in 1919.   The group played professionally at various venues throughout Sydney for several years before the flying bug caught Fraser again.  In 1924 he rejoined the Royal Australian Air Force (R.A.A.F) and in 1927, Squadron Leader Fraser led the formation of aircraft in the fly-past at the opening of Parliament House in Canberra.

He left the R.A.A.F. in 1934 but linked up with aviation again in 1938 when he joined the Department of Civil Aviation.  He was posted flight officer at Mascot and retired as Airport Manager of Kingsford Smith Airport in 1958.   Following his retirement in 1958 Harold Fraser had time to enjoy his Connell's Point home and won several prizes in the "Herald" garden competition.

But apart from his flying and gardening interests, Fraser also had his sporting interests.  From 1925-1932 he was a member of St George First Grade Cricket Club and in 1935 was instrumental in forming the St George Veterans Cricket Club.  Forty years later, in 1975, he was elected Patron and President of the Club.  From 1962 to 1975 he was a member of the St George Bowling Club and from 1969 to 1975 a member of St George Rugby Club.

Following a request from the Veterans Cricket Club, Kogarah Council honoured Harold Fraser's community service by naming "Harold Fraser Oval and Reserve" after him.  

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