William Archibald Kenneth Fraser, CB, CBE, DSO, MVO, MC (1886–1969) was an officer in the British Indian Army during World War I and World War II.
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In 1905, Fraser joined the British Indian Army. During World War I, he served with the 9th Lancers and 16th Lancers on the Western Front. Fraser was involved in the Mons retreat in 1914, Neuve Chapelle in March 1915, and Arras in April 1917.[1]
During the interwar period, Fraser became the Commander of South Persia Rifles. He held this position from 1919 to 1921. In addition to commanding the South Persia Rifles, Fraser was the Assistant Quartermaster General in 1920 and the Inspector General from 1920 to 1921.[2]
From 1922 to 1924, Fraser was the Military Attaché in Kabul in the Kingdom of Afghanistan. From 1924 to 1928, he was the Military Attaché in Teheran in Persia. From 1930 to 1932, Fraser was the Military Secretary to the Governor of Bengal.[3]
During the Anglo-Iraqi War in 1941, the ground forces from India that landed in Basra were initially part of an operation codenamed Operation Sabine and, as a result, the force itself was known as Sabine Force. Fraser, commander of Indian 10th Infantry Division, arrived in Basra on 18 April with his headquarters, one brigade of infantry and a regiment of artillery and assumed command of all ground forces in the Kingdom of Iraq.[4] The name Iraqforce replaced Sabine Force[5] and as force levels built up Fraser was succeeded as commander of Iraqforce on 8 May by a more senior commander, Lieutenant-General Edward Quinan.[6] On 16 May, having fallen sick, Fraser was replaced as commander of the Indian 10th Infantry Division by Major-General William Slim.
In 1948 Fraser was awarded the Croix Militaire 1st Class by the Belgian government.[7]