Second Lieutenant William Fraser & Private J. FraserPrint Page

The plaque commemoratesSecond Lieutenant William Fraser and Private J. Fraser who were both killed in action in World War One.

Second Lieutenant William Fraser was serving with 7th Squadron Royal Flying Corps, and died of wounds on 25th October 1916.   Private J. Fraser was serving with the 52nd Battalion and was killed in action on 12th August 1918.

John and William were the sons of John and Janet Fraser (nee Grigor), the first European settlers in Cooloolabin. John Fraser Senior donated land on which the Cooloolabin Hall was built in 1916.

A special service was held in the Cooloolabin hall in the afternoon of May 4th, by the Rev. J. G. Laurie, during which the ceremony of unveiling the tablets erected in the hall in honour of Lieut. W. Fraser, R.F.C., and the late captain of the G and K. Rifle Club, Private J. Fraser both killed in action, was performed by Mr. Warren. Suitable hymns were sung, and the Rev. J. Laurie preached an appropriate sermon, after which he called upon Mr. Warren to unveil the tablets which were draped with the Australian flag. Mr. Warren said he was proud to be there to do honour to his fallen comrades. They were not there to mourn, but to honour the two noble boys who had felt it their duty to fight for the freedom and honour of their mothers, sisters, and sweethearts, and he was proud he was a member of the A.I.F.  Lieut. W. Fraser of the Royal Flying Corps, left a good position in our sunny land to go to England, where he trained and joined the Royal Flying Corps that did such noble work during the recent war. The late captain of the local rifle club Private J. Fraser, was one of their public men whose place it would be hard to fill. Not alone on the tablet would his name be honoured, but in public works such as the rifle club, State school, roads and the hall in which they were assembled. In all of these he worked hard. In unveiling the tablets erected by the residents of the district in honour of the two lads, Mr. Warren congratulated the district and the club on the designs.
Chronicle and North Coast Advertiser (Qld.), 9 May 1919. 

Note: According to the Trove article two tablets were originally unveiled. 

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