Essay Example on Donald Fraser was a Scottish man who bravely traveled to Canada from his native Scotland

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Donald Fraser was a Scottish man who bravely traveled to Canada from his native Scotland and eventually joined the Canadian Army to fight in the First World War Through his detailed diary many people can learn about life and experiences as a soldier in the Great War another name for WW1 Although it is not recorded in the diary Fraser s life outside the war was just like anyone else Donald Fraser was a courageous soul and a detailed writer and his diary has shaped other s views on life as a soldier during World War I Fraser was born in 1882 in a village named Abriachan in the city Inverness which is known as the capital of the Scottish Highlands It sits where the River Ness enters the Moray Firth and is regarded as one of the happiest cities in the United Kingdom When Fraser was born here distilling was the common practice among townspeople probably including his family and an important part of Scottish culture Fraser s family as well as many citizens of Inverness was Presbyterian Being Christian Fraser learned good character qualities such as discipline and loyalty and a selfless way of life The family s shared faith gave them a sense of community with the townspeople and gave Fraser the mindset he would need when he entered the Great War Fraser attended primary and secondary school in Inverness

The state run secondary school that was established in 1878 still stands today After secondary school Fraser left Scotland Fraser made the brave and daring decision to leave Scotland and sail across the Atlantic Ocean to North America Most likely aboard an ocean liner the trip took many weeks He left his sister Anne Fraser and his family in Scotland and took his belongings Voyages from Europe across the ocean to North America were frequent so middle class pricing wasn't incredibly expensive After landing on the eastern coast Fraser travelled by train to Alberta Canada where he eventually settled in the small but growing town of Calgary Calgary is located about 175 miles south of Alberta's capital Edmonton Located in the southern area of the province Calgary occupies territory at the junction of the Bow River and the Elbow River Being just east of the Canadian Rockies Calgary s usually low temperatures can be broken up by warm winds from the mountains When Fraser came to Canada he was accompanied by many others who wanted to claim homestead land that the Canadian government was offering in Alberta for free Previously a center of transportation and distribution as well as meatpacking and cattle marketing Calgary also largely became an area of agriculture and ranching 



Another substantial company situated in Calgary was the Hudson Bay Company They established posts on the river and opened six department stores All of these industries brought magnitudes of different people into one city together to create a diverse culture surrounding Fraser Fraser however did not claim land or become a farmer rancher In his early twenties he got a job as an accountant and clerk at the Merchant's Bank in Calgary The bank was housed in the now historic Merchants Bank Building Constructed from sandstone and standing two stories tall the establishment was originally used for other businesses such as one of the fist fine restaurants in Calgary before being remodeled and put to use as a bank The remodels occurred in 1904 and the building took on the Neoclassical Revival style before becoming the Calgary branch of Merchants Bank To become an accountant or chartered accountant in 1904 Fraser was required to enter

The Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants where he was further educated in his chosen field At the time the institute was about 2 years old so there were no nation wide standards every accountant would be taught Fraser most likely learned what he needed to know through others who worked at the bank From then Fraser worked at the bank until 1914 when the First World War began After the war began Merchants Bank instead became a recruiting office for the war and home to the 82nd Battalion and the Canadian Patriotic Fund Having no job and therefore no means of supporting himself 32 year old Fraser enlisted in the Canadian Army also known as the Canadian Expeditionary Force to fight in World War I Fraser s decision to enter the army was brave and bold He signed up to fight for a country he had only been living in for a couple of years Regardless of why he entered the Canadian Expeditionary Force his service is respected and appreciated by many Fraser served for four years but his time in the army was cut short after sustaining major wounds 



Fortunately advances in medical techniques such as blood transfusion metal extraction and sanitation led to an almost 90 survival rate among soldiers treated for battle wounds Fraser s wounds left him permanently disabled but he lived Fraser returned to Canada and was living in Calgary by 1918 During World War I government and community support for soldiers and their families increased enough to see better pensions benefits and medical care for veterans There were special plans and new reintegration methods put in place even for veterans with disabilities like Fraser He was discharged from the army and because he wasn t able to work Fraser probably lived off of his benefits and or pension for serving Sadly Donald Fraser died in 1936 in Lloydminster a town on the Alberta Saskatchewan border about 230 miles northeast of Calgary He was 54 years old He was buried in the Lloydminster cemetery where he still rests today He never married and had no children Fraser s life from his journey to Canada to his service during World War I shows his bravery and his willingness to sacrifice for others



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