Reginald Arthur Frazer of Martham
Reginald is listed on the War Memorial as one of those who gave his life during the Second World War.
Reginald was born on 1st August 1910 at Watton, Norfolk. There is no record of his parents that I can find and although he appears in the 1911 census when he was only eight months old, he was staying with a family called Betts at The Street, Saham Toney who do not appear to be related to him.
In early 1936, when he was 25, he married Phyllis Mahalah Fisher at Great Yarmouth. The next record we can check is the 1939 Register but it only shows Phyllis living with her parents at Repps Road, Martham. It is possible that Reginald was away at sea when the Register was compiled. The couple do not appear to have had any children.
Reginald served in the Royal Navy on board H.M.S. Avon Vale. His military serial number was Leading Seaman C/JX 127803. In January 1943 the Avon Vale was transferred to the 59th Destroyer Division, joining the escort destroyers Calpe, Farndale and Puckeridge at Gibraltar for convoy defence duties in the western Mediterranean. On 29th January 1943 the Avon Vale suffered major damage after she was hit by an aerial torpedo which destroyed the whole of the bow structure of the destroyer and Reginald was killed during this action. The aft section of the destroyer was towed back to Gibraltar by the escort destroyer Bicester where temporary repairs were carried out. From March to May 1943 the destroyer was deployed at Gibraltar, until she was towed back to the United Kingdom on 25th June 1943 as part of convoy MKS15.
