Keith Aird Fraser (1893–1952)
Mr. Keith Aird Fraser, N.S.W. Railway Commissioner, who died last night, was one of Australia's best-known railway engineers.
He was the railways' chief engineer when he succeeded Mr. F. C. Garside as Commissioner seven months ago.
Mr. Fraser was the son of the late Mr. James Fraser, who was Commissioner for Railways from 1917 to 1929.
He joined the Railways Department as a cadet surveyor in 1911 and was appointed assistant manager on the Waterfall-Otford deviation project in 1914.
He saw service in both world wars.
Mr. Fraser's first big task came in 1922, when he was appointed resident engineer on metropolitan railways construction.
He supervised the construction of Sydney's underground railway lines and the building of Museum, St. James, Wynyard, and Town Hall stations and tunnels.
In 1922 he became resident engineer of maintenance at Sydenham.
In 1939 he was appointed supervising engineer for building the Hawkesbury River bridge and engineer controlling all line construction in N.S.W.
In 1940 Mr. Fraser was made lieutenant-colonel in charge of the Railway Construction and Maintenance Group formed in Australia to construct and maintain railways for Allied troops on active service.
He became chief civil engineer for the Railways Department in 1950.
Mr. Fraser visited England and the Continent in 1946 to study railway practice.
Original publication
Additional Resources
- World War I and II service record, B883, item NX12168 (National Archives of Australia)
- ia appointed Railways Chief Commissioner, Sydney Morning Herald, 2 February 1952, p 3
- profile, Sydney Morning Herald, 2 February 1952, p 2
- editorial discussing the tasks faced by the new railways commissioner, Sydney Morning Herald, 4 February 1952, p 2
- funeral, Sydney Morning Herald, 26 August 1952, p 5
Related Entries in NCB Sites
- Fraser, Keith Aird
- Fraser, Peter Aird (son)
- Fraser, James (father)
- Bradfield, John Job Crew (work colleague)
- Garside, Frederick Charles (work colleague)
Citation details
'Fraser, Keith Aird (1893–1952)', Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/fraser-keith-aird-10244/text24637, accessed 14 September 2024.
Keith Fraser, 1917 (left, standing)
Australian War Memorial, A00919
Life Summary [details]
Birth
9 January,
1893
Neutral Bay, Sydney,
New South Wales,
Australia
Death
23 August,
1952
(aged 59)
Sydney,
New South Wales,
Australia
Cause of Death
Religious Influence
Includes the religion in which subjects were raised, have chosen themselves, attendance at religious schools and/or religious funeral rites; Atheism and Agnosticism have been included.