Simon Fraser, 14th Lord Lovat
Encyclopedia
Brigadier-General Simon Joseph Fraser, 14th Lord Lovat and 3rd Baron Lovat KT, GCVO
, KCMG
, CB
, DSO
(25 November 1871-18 February 1933), was a leading Roman Catholic aristocrat
, landowner, soldier, politician and the 23rd Chief
of Clan Fraser
. He was the son of Simon Fraser, 13th Lord Lovat
, and Alice Mary Weld-Blundell. While legally the 14th Lord Lovat (and 3rd Baron Lovat), he was referred to as the 16th Lord.
Lord Lovat was commissioned into the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
and promoted Lieutenant
in 1890, but transferred to the 1st Life Guards in 1894. In 1897 he resigned from the Regular Army and joined a volunteer battalion of the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. In 1899 he raised the Lovat Scouts
, and served as their second-in-command
in the South African War
, where he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
. In World War I
, he commanded the Highland Mounted Brigade of the 2nd Mounted Division, being promoted Brigadier-General in September 1914. In March 1915 he took command of the 4th Mounted Division and became a Major General that May. In 1919 he was appointed Army Director of Forestry. He became a Rhodes Trustee in 1917, the same year as Rudyard Kipling.
Apart from his military career Lovat was also Chairman of the Forestry Commission from 1919 to 1927 and served in the Conservative administration
of Stanley Baldwin
as Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs
from 1926 to 1927. He was made a Knight of the Thistle in 1915.
Lovat married Hon. Laura Lister, daughter of Thomas Lister, 4th Baron Ribblesdale
, in 1910. They had five children. Lovat died in February 1933, aged 61, and was succeeded by his eldest son Simon as the 15th Lord Lovat
(known as the 17th Lord), who distinguished himself during the D-Day landings at Normandy in June 1944. His younger son Sir Hugh Fraser
was a successful politician
and first husband of the author Antonia Fraser
.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, KCMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(25 November 1871-18 February 1933), was a leading Roman Catholic aristocrat
Aristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
, landowner, soldier, politician and the 23rd Chief
Chiefs of Clan Fraser
The following is a list of the chiefs of the Clan Fraser, in chronological order. The Chiefs of Clan Fraser often use the Gaelic patronym MacShimidh, meaning Son of Simon. Simon is the favoured family name for the Chiefs of Clan Fraser. They are often numbered 1st MacShimidh, 2nd MacShimidh, 3rd...
of Clan Fraser
Clan Fraser
Clan Fraser is a Scottish clan of French origin. The Clan has been strongly associated with Inverness and the surrounding area since the Clan's founder gained lands there in the 13th century. Since its founding, the Clan has dominated local politics and been active in every major military conflict...
. He was the son of Simon Fraser, 13th Lord Lovat
Simon Fraser, 13th Lord Lovat
Simon Fraser, 13th Lord Lovat and 2nd Baron Lovat , was a Scottish peer. While legally the 13th Lord, he was referred to as the 15th Lord Lovat....
, and Alice Mary Weld-Blundell. While legally the 14th Lord Lovat (and 3rd Baron Lovat), he was referred to as the 16th Lord.
Lord Lovat was commissioned into the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1793. In 1961 it was merged with the Seaforth Highlanders to form the Queen's Own Highlanders...
and promoted Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in 1890, but transferred to the 1st Life Guards in 1894. In 1897 he resigned from the Regular Army and joined a volunteer battalion of the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. In 1899 he raised the Lovat Scouts
Lovat Scouts
The Lovat Scouts were a British Army unit. The unit was first formed during the Second Boer War as a Scottish Highland yeomanry regiment of the British Army and is the first known military unit to wear a ghillie suit...
, and served as their second-in-command
Second-in-command
The Second-in-Command is the deputy commander of any British Army or Royal Marines unit, from battalion or regiment downwards. He or she is thus the equivalent of an Executive Officer in the United States Army...
in the South African War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, where he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
. In World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he commanded the Highland Mounted Brigade of the 2nd Mounted Division, being promoted Brigadier-General in September 1914. In March 1915 he took command of the 4th Mounted Division and became a Major General that May. In 1919 he was appointed Army Director of Forestry. He became a Rhodes Trustee in 1917, the same year as Rudyard Kipling.
Apart from his military career Lovat was also Chairman of the Forestry Commission from 1919 to 1927 and served in the Conservative administration
Conservative Government 1924-1929
Members of the Cabinet are in bold face....
of Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC was a British Conservative politician, who dominated the government in his country between the two world wars...
as Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs
Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs
The position of Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs was a British ministerial position, subordinate to that of Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, created in 1925 to deal with British relations with the Dominions — Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Newfoundland, and the...
from 1926 to 1927. He was made a Knight of the Thistle in 1915.
Lovat married Hon. Laura Lister, daughter of Thomas Lister, 4th Baron Ribblesdale
Thomas Lister, 4th Baron Ribblesdale
Thomas Lister, 4th Baron Ribblesdale , was a British Liberal politician.-Background:Born in Fontainebleau, France, Ribblesdale was the eldest son of Thomas Lister, 3rd Baron Ribblesdale, and his wife Emma daughter of William Mure, and succeeded his father in the barony in 1876.-Political...
, in 1910. They had five children. Lovat died in February 1933, aged 61, and was succeeded by his eldest son Simon as the 15th Lord Lovat
Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat
Brigadier Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat and 4th Baron Lovat DSO, MC, TD was the 25th Chief of the Clan Fraser and a prominent British Commando during the Second World War...
(known as the 17th Lord), who distinguished himself during the D-Day landings at Normandy in June 1944. His younger son Sir Hugh Fraser
Hugh Fraser (politician)
Major Sir Hugh Charles Patrick Joseph Fraser MBE was a British Conservative politician and first husband of the author Lady Antonia Fraser.-Youth and military career:...
was a successful politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and first husband of the author Antonia Fraser
Antonia Fraser
Lady Antonia Margaret Caroline Fraser, DBE , née Pakenham, is an Anglo-Irish author of history, novels, biographies and detective fiction, best known as Antonia Fraser...
.