Canada, Commonwealth. A Royal Canadian Mounted Police Long Service Medal, John "Jack" Fraser

Elizabeth II (J. FRASER). In silver, naming is engraved. Edge nicks, scattered tarnishing, light contact, original ribbon, better than very fine. Accompanied by extensive paperwork, which includes copies of his Service Records, Personnel and Confidential Reports, various Certificates and Identification papers, along with photocopied RCMP File Photographs and much more.

Footnote: John "Jack" Fraser was born on July 1, 1915 in Ottawa West, Nepean Township, Ontario, the son of Donald Fraser and Mary Ann (nee Delaney) Fraser. His father was born in Inverness, Scotland and had been a policeman before becoming a Real Estate Broker in Ottawa, while his mother was born in Ireland. He had one brother and six sisters, all of which were brought up as Presbyterians. He attended public and high school in Ottawa, also taking a night school business course for one year, covering shorthand, typewriting, commercial law, accountancy, among other subjects, but not receiving a diploma. He liked school but quit school between ages 19 and 20 as he wanted to go to work. At age 15, he had been a delivery boy for a drug store which entailed three nights a week for two years. Also, his early work history involved him being a delivery boy at Dominion Stores on Saturday afternoons for two years, and a clerk at a paint store every summer holiday for five years. He had been a Student at Ottawa College, with his hobbies including Mechanics and Riding. Fraser's pre-force occupations were as a Collector and Investigator for a Finance Company, Fitzgerald Auto Co. for two years, along with being a Bugle Musician with the Sea Cadets and School Cadets.

Fraser joined the RCMP Reserve as a Reserve Constable on July 1, 1937, engaging for three years' service and taking the Oath of Allegiance and the Oath of Office. He had experience as a Special Constable with the Ottawa City Police during the Royal Visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in May 1939 and during Exhibition Week (Central Canada Exhibition). 13259 Third Class Constable Fraser was Single when he engaged for five years' service on January 4, 1940, taking the Oath of Allegiance and the Oath of Office. He left for Regina, Saskatchewan for his initial training at the RCMP Training Academy aboard a Canadian Pacific train that day. However, by July 11, 1940, a scathing report was filed by Superintendent F.A. Blake, Adjutant, stating that Fraser was "to be paraded and warned that his discharge nearly occurred through his poor showing in the Second Part of Training, and that his further service in the Force depends on his demonstrating his suitability for police work." He returned to Ottawa on September 20, 1940 and was posted to "G" Division and later, to "N" Division at Rockcliffe. He was subsequently transferred to "J" Division at Fredericton, New Brunswick for practical training on November 11, 1940, and it was here that Fraser was promoted to the rank of Second Class Constable on January 1, 1941.

Due to the illness of his father, Fraser requested a return to the Ottawa area. He returned to Rockcliffe on January 29, 1941, then to Headquarters Division, Central Registry beginning on February 4, 1941, posted to "N" Division Duty Squad on March 1st, then transferred to "A" Division in Ottawa on May 1st. He would go on to serve in all Sections of the Central Registry throughout his career. Employed as a Filing Clerk in the Card Index, his superior acknowledged his work as "slow, methodical" and described him as a "dependable worker", with supervisor's duties, handling a staff of approximately forty members and civil servants. Fraser was promoted to First Class Constable on January 1, 1942 and took the Oath of Secrecy on January 12th. Fraser would re-engage for service on five occasions: January 4, 1945 for three years; January 4, 1948 for three years; January 4, 1951 for five years; January 4, 1956 for five years; and January 4, 1961 for five years. By 1948, he continued to be employed at the Central Registry and had been given important duties in the Special Branch records, his work cited as "steady, reliable and giving good service", with a promotion to Corporal recommended.

However, his father who has been ill for years, passed away on March 3, 1948 from a heart condition. Later that same year, on October 16, 1948, Fraser had had his pea jacket stolen when on the clothesline at home. He was still living with his mother and had asked his mother and sister, along with multiple neighbours if they knew anything about the missing pea jacket. When no answers were forthcoming, he was forced to report the apparent theft to the Ottawa City Police. The following year, he was promoted to Corporal on October 1, 1949. John "Jack" Fraser married Nathalie Alice Parker (born: June 8, 1924 in Ottawa, Carleton County) on April 29, 1953. The couple would go on to have four children together: a daughter, Mary-Ann (born: March 14, 1954), and three sons, Donald John (born: December 14, 1955), James Bruce (born: June 28, 1960) and Stuart Thomas (born: November 3, 1965). He attended Refresher Class "B" at "N" Division from March 5 to April 13, 1954, returning to his position at Central Registry in Ottawa and was promoted to Sergeant on November 1, 1957. Fraser completed twenty years' service as of January 3, 1960, which qualified him for the award of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Long Service Medal, however, many of his superiors had issues with his appearance, along with other pending matters, which almost cost him his medal.

On April 18, 1960, an incident took place that tarnished his image. Sergeant Fraser was in charge of sending a driver, Constable Rockburne, to the RCMP Commissioner's residence, in order to pick him up and take him to Government House. The driver, Rockburne, was dressed in a brown jacket, etc., rather than in the RCMP scarlet tunic. In addition, in question was why the driver failed to wait for the Commissioner at Government House and drive him home after the function had concluded. The day was a holiday coinciding with the official visit of General de Gaulle of France to Ottawa and "should have made the order of dress for the driver obvious". The regular duty driver was booked that day, with the responsibility somehow falling into Fraser's hands. An investigation into the incident, including the testimony by the two accused parties, determined that Sergeant Fraser "failed to exercise good judgement but there appears to be reasonable grounds for his actions in that he had no previous experience with detailing a driver for the Commissioner and therefore was not aware the driver should have been in Review Order. Nevertheless, he should have made enquiries to ascertain the accustomed order of dress for the Commissioner's driver." As a result, rules for such events and dress codes were re-defined and put into place by the RCMP.

Fraser was transferred as Supervisor of "I" Directorate Files No. 2 Section to "I" Directorate Files No. 1 Section on March 15, 1961. He had "good knowledge of all phases of the work", was deemed "capable", able to handle a large staff and was well regarded by staff and members. No. 1 Section contained over 70,000 S. & I. Organizational Files and was an important Section to "I" Directorate. That Fall, Fraser was promoted to Staff Sergeant on November 1, 1961. He was transferred as Supervisor from "I" Directorate Files No. 1 to "D" Section on June 13, 1962, returning to "I" Section over two years later, on August 1, 1964. With retirement on the horizon, Fraser had an idea for a job change, however, his superiors were not in agreement: "He suggested that he should be transferred to active police work for his last year in the Force, in order that he could say he had been a policeman. He was counselled as to the impracticality of such a request, which he accepted." Staff Sergeant John "Jack" Fraser was retired to pension in July 1964 and commenced retirement leave on August 8, 1964, which terminated on January 3, 1965 upon his discharge from the RCMP, his annual pension determined to be $4,194. Fraser had inquired as to whether he was also entitled to a pay raise that had been given to members of the RCMP in April 1964. The answer from the authorities was simple and steadfast: he wasn't, as he was "voluntarily discharged to pension".

Fraser's record during the latter years of his service came into question, and "in view of this and for pension purposes", his rating was downgraded from "Exemplary" to "Good". Where he was hurt by this was in his eligibility for both the RCMP Long Service Medal and the Bronze Clasp with Star. In a letter dated February 24, 1965, in regards to his recommendation of December 10, 1964 for the award of the RCMP Long Service Medal, the Commissioner had considered the recommendation "but in view of this member's questionable character during the past five years," he had not seen fit to approve the award, "as he (Fraser) had proceeded to pension, no further consideration would be made", however, the medal would eventually be awarded to him, as this involved his first twenty years in the Force. However, another letter dated the following day, February 25th, in regards to his recommendation of December 10, 1964 for the award of the Bronze Clasp with Star, the Commissioner had considered the recommendation "but in view of this member's questionable character during the past five years," he has not seen fit to approve the award, "as he had proceeded to pension, no further consideration would be made". This edict would stand, as the Bronze Clasp technically applied to the last five years of his employment with the RCMP and that was the period when his conduct came under intense scrutiny.

John "Jack" Fraser had been diagnosed with hypertension and died on February 4, 1980 at Ottawa General Hospital in Ottawa, from "myocardial infarction" (commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to a part of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle), at the age of 64. His funeral took place on February 7th, followed by his interment in Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa. Subject to the provisions of the RCMP Pension Continuation Act, his pension ceased upon his death, however, he had contributed to the Widows and Orphans Pension Fund, entitling his wife, Nathalie, to a widow's pension. The RCMP Veterans Association indicated that a regimental headstone or marker would be supplied and erected at the Force's expense. If Fraser's wife chose a marker of her own design, the RCMPVA would pay up to a maximum of $190 towards the cost, providing the marker had a reference to his service in the Force. Great-West Life Assurance paid out a death benefit of $9,000 to his beneficiary, his wife Nathalie.