Sir John Graham, 3rd Baronet
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant Colonel
Sir John Reginald Noble Graham, 3rd Baronet VC
OBE
(17 September 1892 – 6 December 1980) was a British
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
Graham was a 24-year-old lieutenant
in the 9th Battalion, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's), attached to 136 Company, Machine Gun Corps
during the First World War in the Samarrah Offensive
when he performed a deed for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
On 22 April 1917 at Istabulat, Mesopotamia
, Lieutenant Graham was in command of a machine-gun section which came under very heavy fire. When his men became casualties he insisted on carrying the ammunition and although twice wounded, he continued in control and with one gun opened accurate fire on the enemy. This gun was put out of action and he was again wounded and forced to retire, but before doing so he disabled his gun and then brought a Lewis gun into action with excellent effect until all the ammunition was expended. He was wounded yet again and was again forced to retire.
During World War II
he was given a temporary rank of lieutenant colonel and worked for Scottish Command
. He was awarded the King Haakon VII's Cross of Liberty. From 1959 to 1979 he was Usher of the Green Rod to the Order of the Thistle
. He succeeded his father to the Baronet
cy in 1936. He died aged 82 in Edinburgh
.
His medals are held by the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Museum in Stirling Castle
.
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Sir John Reginald Noble Graham, 3rd Baronet VC
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(17 September 1892 – 6 December 1980) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Graham was a 24-year-old lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the 9th Battalion, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's), attached to 136 Company, Machine Gun Corps
Machine Gun Corps
The Machine Gun Corps was a corps of the British Army, formed in October 1915 in response to the need for more effective use of machine guns on the Western Front in World War I. The Heavy Branch of the MGC was the first to use tanks in combat, and the branch was subsequently turned into the Tank...
during the First World War in the Samarrah Offensive
Samarrah Offensive
The Samarrah Offensive was launched by the British against the Ottomans as part of the Mesopotamian Campaign in World War I....
when he performed a deed for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
On 22 April 1917 at Istabulat, Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
, Lieutenant Graham was in command of a machine-gun section which came under very heavy fire. When his men became casualties he insisted on carrying the ammunition and although twice wounded, he continued in control and with one gun opened accurate fire on the enemy. This gun was put out of action and he was again wounded and forced to retire, but before doing so he disabled his gun and then brought a Lewis gun into action with excellent effect until all the ammunition was expended. He was wounded yet again and was again forced to retire.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he was given a temporary rank of lieutenant colonel and worked for Scottish Command
Scottish Command
-History:The Command was established in 1905 at Edinburgh Castle but moved to Craigiehall in the early 1950s.Since 1936 the General Officer Commanding Scottish Command has also always been appointed Governor of Edinburgh Castle....
. He was awarded the King Haakon VII's Cross of Liberty. From 1959 to 1979 he was Usher of the Green Rod to the Order of the Thistle
Order of the Thistle
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order...
. He succeeded his father to the Baronet
Graham Baronets
There have been eight Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Graham, two in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia, two in the Baronetage of England, one in the Baronetage of Great Britain and three in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom....
cy in 1936. He died aged 82 in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.
His medals are held by the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Museum in Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological formation. It is surrounded on three sides by steep...
.