Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard
- Baron Fraser of North Cape -

Further Information
 
Bruce Austin Fraser, Baron Fraser of North Cape was born in Acton, Middlesex, on 5 February 1888, the younger son of General Alexander Fraser CB of the Royal Engineers, and his wife, Monica Stores Smith. He was educated at Bradfield College, Berkshire, before joining the Royal Navy. He completed his cadetship in January 1904 and was appointed a midshipman in HMS Hannibal. He served on a succession of ships over the next few years during which he was promoted to Sub-Lieutenant.
 
In 1911 he was posted to the gunnery school at HMS Excellent on Whale Island where he graduated with distinction. For the first two years of the Great War he was gunnery officer in the cruiser Minerva and then returned to HMS Excellent missing out on service during the Battle of Jutland.
 
Gunnery remained Fraser's speciality for the following years as he rose through the ranks until he was appointed Captain in the Admiralty Tactical Division (1926-29) and then after a period in command of HMS Effingham, as director of Naval Ordnance (1933-35). In 1938 he was appointed rear-admiral and the following year became controller of the navy and third sea lord. In June 1942 he returned to sea as second-in-command of the Home Fleet and in December 1943 was involved in the actions against the Scharnhorst which was eventually sunk thanks to the excellence of the gunnery officers. During the latter period of the Second World War Fraser was in command of the Eastern Fleet, later the Pacific Fleet where he oversaaw the Japanese surrender on behalf of Britain.
 
1947 saw Fraser appointed Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth and the following year first sea lord and admiral of the fleet. He retired from the navy in 1952. He died February 12th 1981.
 
Further details can be obtained at the Wikipedia entry for Baron Fraser.