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Inverness Castle from the Ness Islands.*~
Reference: hc003
Inverness Castle from the Ness...
Lord Lovat. Brigadier Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat and 4th Baron Lovat DSO, MC, TD (9th July 1911 in Beaufort Castle, Inverness, Scotland-16th March 1995 in Beauly) was the 25th Chief of the Clan Fraser and a prominent British Commando during the Second World War. After being educated at Ampleforth College and Oxford University Fraser was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Lovat Scouts (a Territorial Army unit) in 1930. He transferred to the regular army joining the Scots Guards in 1931. The following year, Fraser succeeded his father to become the 15th Lord Lovat and 25th Chief of the Clan Fraser. He was promoted lieutenant in August 1934. Lovat resigned his regular commission as a lieutenant in 1937, transferring to the Supplementary Reserve of Officers. He married Rosamond Broughton on 10th October 1938, with whom he had six children. In August 1939, as war approached, Lord Lovat was mobilized as a captain in the Lovat Scouts. The following year he volunteered to join one of the new commando units being formed by the British Army, and was eventually attached to No. 4 Commando. On 3rd March 1941, Nos 3 and 4 Commando launched a raid on the German-occupied Lofoten Islands. As a temporary major, Lord Lovat commanded 100 men of No. 4 Commando and a 50-man detachment from the Canadian Carleton and York Regiment in a raid on the French coastal village of Hardelot in April. For this action he was awarded the Military Cross on 7th July 1942. Lord Lovat became an acting lieutenant-colonel in 1942 and was appointed the commanding officer of No. 4 Commando, leading them in the abortive Dieppe Raid (Operation Jubilee) on 19th August. His commando attacked and destroyed a battery of six 150 mm guns. Lovat was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). The raid as a whole was a disastrous failure: over 4,000 casualties were sustained, predominantly Canadian. Lord Lovat eventually became a Brigadier and the commander of the 1st Special Service Brigade in 1944. Lord Lovat's brigade was landed at Sword Beach during the invasion of Normandy on 6th June 1944. During the Battle of Breville on 12th June, Lord Lovat was seriously wounded whilst observing an artillery bombardment by the 51st Highland Division. A stray shell fell short of its target and landed amongst the officers, killing Lieutenant-Colonel A. P. Johnston, commanding officer of the 12th Parachute Battalion, and seriously wounding Brigadier Hugh Kindersley of the 6th Airlanding Brigade. Lord Lovat made a full recovery from the severe wounds he had received in France but was unable to return to the army (he transferred to the reserve in 1949). In 1945 he had joined the Government as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, responsible for the functions of the Ministry of Economic Warfare when these were taken over by the Foreign Office and resigned upon Churchill's election defeat. In 1946 he was made a Commander of the Venerable Order of Saint John. His formal retirement from the army came on 16th June 1962, he retained the honorary rank of brigadier. Lord Lovat's involvement in politics continued throughout his life, in the House of Lords and the Inverness County Council. He devoted much of his time to the family estates. He was chieftain of Lovat Shinty Club, the local shinty team which bears his family name. Lord Lovat experienced a great deal of turmoil in his final years; he suffered financial ruin and two of his sons predeceased him in accidents within months of each other. A year before his death, in 1994, the family's traditional residence, Beaufort Castle, was sold. See Lady Lovat images at 47682a/b.
Reference: 40813b
Lord Lovat. Brigadier Simon Ch...
Lord Lovat. Brigadier Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat and 4th Baron Lovat DSO, MC, TD (9th July 1911 in Beaufort Castle, Inverness, Scotland-16th March 1995 in Beauly) was the 25th Chief of the Clan Fraser and a prominent British Commando during the Second World War. After being educated at Ampleforth College and Oxford University Fraser was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Lovat Scouts (a Territorial Army unit) in 1930. He transferred to the regular army joining the Scots Guards in 1931. The following year, Fraser succeeded his father to become the 15th Lord Lovat and 25th Chief of the Clan Fraser. He was promoted lieutenant in August 1934. Lovat resigned his regular commission as a lieutenant in 1937, transferring to the Supplementary Reserve of Officers. He married Rosamond Broughton on 10th October 1938, with whom he had six children. In August 1939, as war approached, Lord Lovat was mobilized as a captain in the Lovat Scouts. The following year he volunteered to join one of the new commando units being formed by the British Army, and was eventually attached to No. 4 Commando. On 3rd March 1941, Nos 3 and 4 Commando launched a raid on the German-occupied Lofoten Islands. As a temporary major, Lord Lovat commanded 100 men of No. 4 Commando and a 50-man detachment from the Canadian Carleton and York Regiment in a raid on the French coastal village of Hardelot in April. For this action he was awarded the Military Cross on 7th July 1942. Lord Lovat became an acting lieutenant-colonel in 1942 and was appointed the commanding officer of No. 4 Commando, leading them in the abortive Dieppe Raid (Operation Jubilee) on 19th August. His commando attacked and destroyed a battery of six 150 mm guns. Lovat was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). The raid as a whole was a disastrous failure: over 4,000 casualties were sustained, predominantly Canadian. Lord Lovat eventually became a Brigadier and the commander of the 1st Special Service Brigade in 1944. Lord Lovat's brigade was landed at Sword Beach during the invasion of Normandy on 6th June 1944. During the Battle of Breville on 12th June, Lord Lovat was seriously wounded whilst observing an artillery bombardment by the 51st Highland Division. A stray shell fell short of its target and landed amongst the officers, killing Lieutenant-Colonel A. P. Johnston, commanding officer of the 12th Parachute Battalion, and seriously wounding Brigadier Hugh Kindersley of the 6th Airlanding Brigade. Lord Lovat made a full recovery from the severe wounds he had received in France but was unable to return to the army (he transferred to the reserve in 1949). In 1945 he had joined the Government as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, responsible for the functions of the Ministry of Economic Warfare when these were taken over by the Foreign Office and resigned upon Churchill's election defeat. In 1946 he was made a Commander of the Venerable Order of Saint John. His formal retirement from the army came on 16th June 1962, he retained the honorary rank of brigadier. Lord Lovat's involvement in politics continued throughout his life, in the House of Lords and the Inverness County Council. He devoted much of his time to the family estates. He was chieftain of Lovat Shinty Club, the local shinty team which bears his family name. Lord Lovat experienced a great deal of turmoil in his final years; he suffered financial ruin and two of his sons predeceased him in accidents within months of each other. A year before his death, in 1994, the family's traditional residence, Beaufort Castle, was sold. See Lady Lovat images at 47682a/b.
Reference: 40813a
Lord Lovat. Brigadier Simon Ch...

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