Stuart Clarence Graham
Encyclopedia
Major General
Stuart Clarence Graham AO, DSO
, OBE
, MC
(23 October 1920 – 20 July 1996) was a senior officer in the Australian Army
, seeing service during the Second World War, the Occupation of Japan and the Vietnam War
. Graduating from the Royal Military College, Duntroon
in 1940, Graham subsequently held a series of regimental and staff appointments, serving in a number of infantry
and armoured units during the Second World War. In the post-war period he served in the British Commonwealth Occupation Force
in Japan, and held a number of staff and command positions in the Armoured Corps. In the late 1950s he was posted to Army Headquarters, and later served as Director of Military Intelligence. Commanding the 1st Australian Task Force
(1 ATF) during fighting in South Vietnam during 1967, he was responsible for establishing the controversial barrier minefield
from Dat Do
to the coast. Later, Graham filled a range of senior command, staff and diplomatic roles in Australia and overseas, including the position of Deputy Chief of the General Staff
(DCGS), before retiring in 1977. He died in 1996.
on 23 October 1920, and was educated at Grafton High School. After joining the Australian Army
in 1938 as an 18-year old cadet, in August 1940 he graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon
(RMC) into the Armoured Corps as a regular
officer in the Permanent Military Force (PMF), following the outbreak of the Second World War. Top of his graduating class, he received the Kings Medal for his achievements. Shortly after, he married Joyce Lawrence of Canberra
on 20 August 1940, and the couple later had two sons—Stuart and Ray.
(2nd AIF) on 26 July 1941, he was subsequently posted to the 2/11th Armoured Car Regiment
, followed by attendance at the Staff School. Graham was subsequently attached to the British Army
in the North Africa and Italy, including service with the British 7th Armoured Division in 1943–1944. During this period he gained considerable operational experience in armoured warfare. Following a short period in staff positions after returning to Australia, Graham spent the remainder of the war in the South-West Pacific. He went on to distinguish himself as a captain commanding an infantry company of the 24th Battalion
during fighting against the Japanese during the Bougainville campaign in April 1945. Wounded during heavy fighting in difficult terrain during the Australian advance along the Buin Road, he was subsequently awarded the Military Cross (MC) for his actions. Later he served with the 2/4th Armoured Regiment
, ending the war as a lieutenant colonel
.
with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force
. Later he briefly commanded the 2nd Battalion, Australian Regiment
(2 AR) between 23 November 1948 and 10 January 1949. Graham was subsequently posted as a tactics instructor to RMC during 1950–1951, and completed further training in the United Kingdom and Germany in 1952. In the 1950s he was considered one of Australia's foremost tank experts, commanding the 1st Armoured Regiment during 1952–1953, after which he served as commandant of the Armoured School between 1953–1956, and filled the position of Director of Armour during the same period. He later wrote an influential paper on the successful use of armour in jungle warfare and its ability to reduce casualties among the infantry. Graham attended the United States Armed Forces Staff College and subsequently filled the role of Assistant Military Attaché in Washington, D.C.
in 1957–1958. Graham's exposure to US military culture and intelligence during this period affected his own military thinking and would be influential during his later service. He was subsequently posted to Army Headquarters as a member of the Joint Planning Staff in 1959.
Between 1960 and 1964 Graham served as Director of Military Intelligence, and while the Australian Army was developing its own doctrine on counter-revolutionary warfare, Graham's ideas on counter-insurgency
were influenced by a visit to South Vietnam in November 1961. Graham's understanding of the challenges of the prevailing Cold War environment allowed him to reform Australia's nascent military intelligence apparatus, encouraging developments in joint intelligence arrangements with Australia's allies and fostering liaison with his British and US counterparts, as well as establishing relationships with countries in South-East Asia. In recognition of his service to the Australian Staff Corps he was appointed as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1963. He then took up an appointment as commandant of the Jungle Training Centre (JTC) at Canungra, Queensland
in 1964. The Australian Army Training Team (AATTV) was being prepared for Vietnam during this time, and army officers were learning new tactics, techniques and procedures. Promoted to brigadier in 1965 he then commanded the 6th Task Force
in southern Queensland, supervising the training of 2 RAR and 6 RAR
, both battalions which would later serve under his command in Vietnam. In 1966, Graham studied at the Imperial Defence College in London
.
(1 ATF) based in Phuoc Tuy Province
in Vietnam, taking over from Brigadier Oliver Jackson. Graham quickly established himself, and developed a sound operational concept, yet the Viet Cong succeeded in preventing him from implementing it as he had intended. During February 1967 1 ATF had sustained its heaviest casualties in the war to that point, losing 16 men killed and 55 wounded in a single week, the majority during Operation Bribie
. Such losses underscored the need for a third infantry battalion and tanks, while confirming in Graham's mind the need to establish a physical barrier to deny the Viet Cong freedom of movement and thereby regain the initiative. During Operation Leeton (6 March – 1 June) Graham subsequently established an 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) long barrier minefield from Dat Do
to the coast. Although in keeping with the orthodoxy of Australian counter-insurgency
doctrine, this strategy ultimately proved both controversial and costly for the Australians, and despite initial success, the minefield became a source of munitions for the Viet Cong and later the decision was made to remove it amid growing casualties.
For the first six months the barrier minefield had resulted in a dramatic decline in Viet Cong infiltration, reducing re-supply movement by up to 80 percent. However, recognising the threat that the obstacle posed to them, the Viet Cong had immediately begun attempting to penetrate it, cutting gaps in the fence and clearing lanes through the minefield to restore the flow of supplies, as well as lifting mines for their own use. While considered an innovative plan to hinder the movement of the Viet Cong between their jungle bases and the villages on which they relied for supplies, the failure of South Vietnamese forces to protect the barrier minefield allowed the Viet Cong to remove thousands of mines, many of which were subsequently used against 1 ATF. Yet these flaws were not immediately obvious and during Graham's tour of duty 1 ATF conducted 32 operations before he handed over command in October 1967, returning to Australia. He was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for his leadership.
By 1969 a large percentage of Australian casualties in Vietnam were being caused by mines, including significant quantities of M16 anti-personnel device
s removed from the barrier minefield at Dat Do. These losses increasingly became a political issue as support for the war in Australia waned, and the efficacy of the decision was later criticised, both within the military and in the media. After visiting Phouc Tuy Province journalist Denis Warner concluded that although the original concept had been sound, it was ultimately one of the greatest Australian mistakes of the war. Graham, by then Deputy Chief of the General Staff
(DCGS), was ultimately forced to defend his decision, while questions were raised about the knowledge and approval of the decision of the tactical commander by a number of senior army officers, including then Commander Australian Forces Vietnam, Major General Tim Vincent, the Chief of General Staff (CGS), Lieutenant General Thomas Daly, and the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee
, General John Wilton
, all of whom had acquiesced to its construction. By August 1969 work had begun to remove the minefield.
following the eventual Australian withdrawal from Vietnam in order to further expand the Regular Army. He was later involved in managing the drawdown of Australian forces and played a role in shaping the post-war Army. Graham was subsequently appointed General Officer Commanding (GOC) Northern Command in 1973. He then filled the position of head of the Australian Defence Staff in London over the period 1974–1976, and was subsequently made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the 1975 Queen's Birthday Honours
. He retired in 1977.
in Queensland
and were involved in community activities and fundraising. In his later life he enjoyed swimming and fishing. Despite the controversy surrounding the laying of the barrier minefield, the official historians of Australian involvement in the Vietnam War later described Graham as a "clever and imaginative" commander, who was "widely regarded as having one of the best minds in the army", and who's "broad knowledge and fair approach earned him the respect of his subordinates." He died at his home on the Isle of Capri, Queensland on 20 July 1996 and was survived by his widow and two sons.
Major General (Australia)
Major General is a senior rank of the Australian Army, and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of Major General. It is the third-highest active rank of the Australian Army, and is considered to be equivalent to a two-star rank...
Stuart Clarence Graham AO, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, 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...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(23 October 1920 – 20 July 1996) was a senior officer in the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
, seeing service during the Second World War, the Occupation of Japan and the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Graduating from the Royal Military College, Duntroon
Royal Military College, Duntroon
The Royal Military College, Duntroon is the Australian Army's officer training establishment. It was founded at Duntroon, in the Australian Capital Territory, in 1911 and is situated on picturesque grounds at the foot of Mount Pleasant near Lake Burley Griffin, close to the Department of Defence...
in 1940, Graham subsequently held a series of regimental and staff appointments, serving in a number of infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
and armoured units during the Second World War. In the post-war period he served in the British Commonwealth Occupation Force
British Commonwealth Occupation Force
The British Commonwealth Occupation Force , was the name of the joint Australian, Canadian, British, Indian and New Zealand military forces in occupied Japan, from 21 February 1946 until the end of occupation in 1952...
in Japan, and held a number of staff and command positions in the Armoured Corps. In the late 1950s he was posted to Army Headquarters, and later served as Director of Military Intelligence. Commanding the 1st Australian Task Force
1st Australian Task Force
The 1st Australian Task Force commanded the Australian and New Zealand Army units deployed to South Vietnam between 1966 and 1972. 1 ATF was based at Nui Dat in Phuoc Tuy Province...
(1 ATF) during fighting in South Vietnam during 1967, he was responsible for establishing the controversial barrier minefield
Barrier
A barrier or barricade is a physical structure which blocks or impedes something.Barrier may also refer to:-Physical barriers:* Automatic full barriers, which serve to block roads at railway crossings...
from Dat Do
Dat Do
Dat Do , is a district of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province in the southeast region of Vietnam.As of 2003 the district had a population of 62,683. The district covers an area of 190 km²...
to the coast. Later, Graham filled a range of senior command, staff and diplomatic roles in Australia and overseas, including the position of Deputy Chief of the General Staff
Deputy Chief of Army (Australia)
The Deputy Chief of Army is the second most senior appointment in the Army, responsible to the Chief of Army . The rank associated with the position is Major General...
(DCGS), before retiring in 1977. He died in 1996.
Early life
Graham was born in Ulmarra, New South WalesUlmarra, New South Wales
Ulmarra is a small town on the south bank of the Clarence River in New South Wales, Australia. It is located in the Clarence Valley district. At the 2006 census, Ulmarra had a population of 446 people....
on 23 October 1920, and was educated at Grafton High School. After joining the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
in 1938 as an 18-year old cadet, in August 1940 he graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon
Royal Military College, Duntroon
The Royal Military College, Duntroon is the Australian Army's officer training establishment. It was founded at Duntroon, in the Australian Capital Territory, in 1911 and is situated on picturesque grounds at the foot of Mount Pleasant near Lake Burley Griffin, close to the Department of Defence...
(RMC) into the Armoured Corps as a regular
Regular army
A regular army consists of the permanent force of a country's army that is maintained under arms during peacetime.Countries that use the term include:*Australian Army*British Army*Canadian Forces, specifically "Regular Force"*Egyptian army*Indian Army...
officer in the Permanent Military Force (PMF), following the outbreak of the Second World War. Top of his graduating class, he received the Kings Medal for his achievements. Shortly after, he married Joyce Lawrence of Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
on 20 August 1940, and the couple later had two sons—Stuart and Ray.
Second World War
Graham subsequently held a series of regimental and staff appointments, serving in a number of infantry and armoured units. Transferring to the Second Australian Imperial ForceSecond Australian Imperial Force
The Second Australian Imperial Force was the name given to the volunteer personnel of the Australian Army in World War II. Under the Defence Act , neither the part-time Militia nor the full-time Permanent Military Force could serve outside Australia or its territories unless they volunteered to...
(2nd AIF) on 26 July 1941, he was subsequently posted to the 2/11th Armoured Car Regiment
2/11th Armoured Car Regiment (Australia)
The 2/11th Armoured Car Regiment was an Australian Army armoured reconnaissance regiment of World War II. The Regiment was formed in 1941 and disbanded in 1944 without seeing action.-History:...
, followed by attendance at the Staff School. Graham was subsequently attached to the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in the North Africa and Italy, including service with the British 7th Armoured Division in 1943–1944. During this period he gained considerable operational experience in armoured warfare. Following a short period in staff positions after returning to Australia, Graham spent the remainder of the war in the South-West Pacific. He went on to distinguish himself as a captain commanding an infantry company of the 24th Battalion
24th Battalion (Australia)
The 24th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Originally raised in 1915 for service during World War I as part of the 1st Australian Imperial Force, it was attached to the 6th Brigade, 2nd Division and served during the Gallipoli campaign and in the trenches of the Western...
during fighting against the Japanese during the Bougainville campaign in April 1945. Wounded during heavy fighting in difficult terrain during the Australian advance along the Buin Road, he was subsequently awarded the Military Cross (MC) for his actions. Later he served with the 2/4th Armoured Regiment
2/4th Armoured Regiment (Australia)
The 2/4th Armoured Regiment was an armoured regiment of the Australian Army, which served during World War II. The regiment was formed in November 1942 as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force by amalgamating a number of previously existing armoured units and was disbanded in September 1946...
, ending the war as a lieutenant colonel
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...
.
Post-war period
Following the war, Graham served in various staff positions in New South Wales, and in 1946 he was posted to JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force
British Commonwealth Occupation Force
The British Commonwealth Occupation Force , was the name of the joint Australian, Canadian, British, Indian and New Zealand military forces in occupied Japan, from 21 February 1946 until the end of occupation in 1952...
. Later he briefly commanded the 2nd Battalion, Australian Regiment
2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment is a regular light infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 2 RAR was first formed as the Australian 66th Battalion in 1945 and since then it has seen active service during the Korean War, Malayan Emergency and Vietnam War...
(2 AR) between 23 November 1948 and 10 January 1949. Graham was subsequently posted as a tactics instructor to RMC during 1950–1951, and completed further training in the United Kingdom and Germany in 1952. In the 1950s he was considered one of Australia's foremost tank experts, commanding the 1st Armoured Regiment during 1952–1953, after which he served as commandant of the Armoured School between 1953–1956, and filled the position of Director of Armour during the same period. He later wrote an influential paper on the successful use of armour in jungle warfare and its ability to reduce casualties among the infantry. Graham attended the United States Armed Forces Staff College and subsequently filled the role of Assistant Military Attaché in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in 1957–1958. Graham's exposure to US military culture and intelligence during this period affected his own military thinking and would be influential during his later service. He was subsequently posted to Army Headquarters as a member of the Joint Planning Staff in 1959.
Between 1960 and 1964 Graham served as Director of Military Intelligence, and while the Australian Army was developing its own doctrine on counter-revolutionary warfare, Graham's ideas on counter-insurgency
Counter-insurgency
A counter-insurgency or counterinsurgency involves actions taken by the recognized government of a nation to contain or quell an insurgency taken up against it...
were influenced by a visit to South Vietnam in November 1961. Graham's understanding of the challenges of the prevailing Cold War environment allowed him to reform Australia's nascent military intelligence apparatus, encouraging developments in joint intelligence arrangements with Australia's allies and fostering liaison with his British and US counterparts, as well as establishing relationships with countries in South-East Asia. In recognition of his service to the Australian Staff Corps he was appointed as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1963. He then took up an appointment as commandant of the Jungle Training Centre (JTC) at Canungra, Queensland
Canungra, Queensland
Canungra is a small picturesque rural township in South East Queensland, Australia. Its economy depends on tourism, being a popular destination for short drives from the Gold Coast and Brisbane. Canungra, also called the "Valley of the Owls", is situated in the Gold Coast Hinterland, west of the...
in 1964. The Australian Army Training Team (AATTV) was being prepared for Vietnam during this time, and army officers were learning new tactics, techniques and procedures. Promoted to brigadier in 1965 he then commanded the 6th Task Force
6th Brigade (Australia)
The 6th Brigade is an Australian Army brigade. First formed during the First World War as an infantry unit of the Australian Imperial Force, the brigade served at Gallipoli and in France and Belgium on the Western Front...
in southern Queensland, supervising the training of 2 RAR and 6 RAR
6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment is a motorised infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was originally raised in Brisbane, Queensland, on 6 June 1965 and has since then served in a number of overseas deployments and conflicts including South Vietnam, East Timor and Iraq...
, both battalions which would later serve under his command in Vietnam. In 1966, Graham studied at the Imperial Defence College in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Vietnam War
On 1 January 1967 Graham was appointed Commander 1st Australian Task Force1st Australian Task Force
The 1st Australian Task Force commanded the Australian and New Zealand Army units deployed to South Vietnam between 1966 and 1972. 1 ATF was based at Nui Dat in Phuoc Tuy Province...
(1 ATF) based in Phuoc Tuy Province
Phuoc Tuy Province
Phước Tuy Province was a province of South Vietnam. It now mostly corresponds to Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, just southeast of Ho Chi Minh City....
in Vietnam, taking over from Brigadier Oliver Jackson. Graham quickly established himself, and developed a sound operational concept, yet the Viet Cong succeeded in preventing him from implementing it as he had intended. During February 1967 1 ATF had sustained its heaviest casualties in the war to that point, losing 16 men killed and 55 wounded in a single week, the majority during Operation Bribie
Operation Bribie
Operation Bribie , also known as the Battle of Ap My An, was fought during the Vietnam War in Phuoc Tuy province between Australian forces from the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment and two companies of Viet Cong from D445 Battalion, likely reinforced by North Vietnamese regulars...
. Such losses underscored the need for a third infantry battalion and tanks, while confirming in Graham's mind the need to establish a physical barrier to deny the Viet Cong freedom of movement and thereby regain the initiative. During Operation Leeton (6 March – 1 June) Graham subsequently established an 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) long barrier minefield from Dat Do
Dat Do
Dat Do , is a district of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province in the southeast region of Vietnam.As of 2003 the district had a population of 62,683. The district covers an area of 190 km²...
to the coast. Although in keeping with the orthodoxy of Australian counter-insurgency
Counter-insurgency
A counter-insurgency or counterinsurgency involves actions taken by the recognized government of a nation to contain or quell an insurgency taken up against it...
doctrine, this strategy ultimately proved both controversial and costly for the Australians, and despite initial success, the minefield became a source of munitions for the Viet Cong and later the decision was made to remove it amid growing casualties.
For the first six months the barrier minefield had resulted in a dramatic decline in Viet Cong infiltration, reducing re-supply movement by up to 80 percent. However, recognising the threat that the obstacle posed to them, the Viet Cong had immediately begun attempting to penetrate it, cutting gaps in the fence and clearing lanes through the minefield to restore the flow of supplies, as well as lifting mines for their own use. While considered an innovative plan to hinder the movement of the Viet Cong between their jungle bases and the villages on which they relied for supplies, the failure of South Vietnamese forces to protect the barrier minefield allowed the Viet Cong to remove thousands of mines, many of which were subsequently used against 1 ATF. Yet these flaws were not immediately obvious and during Graham's tour of duty 1 ATF conducted 32 operations before he handed over command in October 1967, returning to Australia. He was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for his leadership.
By 1969 a large percentage of Australian casualties in Vietnam were being caused by mines, including significant quantities of M16 anti-personnel device
M16 mine
The M16 mine is a U.S. made bounding anti-personnel mine. It was based on captured plans of the World War II era German S-mine and has similar performance. The mine consists of a cast iron body in a thin steel sleeve. A central fuze well on the top of the mine is normally fitted with a pronged M605...
s removed from the barrier minefield at Dat Do. These losses increasingly became a political issue as support for the war in Australia waned, and the efficacy of the decision was later criticised, both within the military and in the media. After visiting Phouc Tuy Province journalist Denis Warner concluded that although the original concept had been sound, it was ultimately one of the greatest Australian mistakes of the war. Graham, by then Deputy Chief of the General Staff
Deputy Chief of Army (Australia)
The Deputy Chief of Army is the second most senior appointment in the Army, responsible to the Chief of Army . The rank associated with the position is Major General...
(DCGS), was ultimately forced to defend his decision, while questions were raised about the knowledge and approval of the decision of the tactical commander by a number of senior army officers, including then Commander Australian Forces Vietnam, Major General Tim Vincent, the Chief of General Staff (CGS), Lieutenant General Thomas Daly, and the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee
Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)
Chief of the Defence Force is the most senior appointment in the Australian Defence Force . The CDF commands the ADF under the direction of the Minister of Defence, in a coequal arrangement with the Secretary of Defence, the most senior public servant in the Department of Defence.The position is a...
, General John Wilton
John Wilton (General)
General Sir John Gordon Noel Wilton KBE, CB, DSO was the most senior military figure in Australia from May 1966 to November 1970.-Early career:...
, all of whom had acquiesced to its construction. By August 1969 work had begun to remove the minefield.
Senior command
After returning to Australia, Graham was subsequently appointed Chief of Staff, Northern Command in late 1967. In 1969 he was promoted to major general and appointed DCGS, a position he held until 1972. As DCGS, Graham unsuccessfully argued for the retention of national serviceConscription in Australia
Conscription in Australia, or mandatory military service also known as National Service, has a controversial history dating back to the first years of nationhood...
following the eventual Australian withdrawal from Vietnam in order to further expand the Regular Army. He was later involved in managing the drawdown of Australian forces and played a role in shaping the post-war Army. Graham was subsequently appointed General Officer Commanding (GOC) Northern Command in 1973. He then filled the position of head of the Australian Defence Staff in London over the period 1974–1976, and was subsequently made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the 1975 Queen's Birthday Honours
Queen's Birthday Honours
The Queen's Birthday Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the celebration of the Queen's Official Birthday in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen...
. He retired in 1977.
Later life
Graham and his wife settled on the Gold CoastGold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
and were involved in community activities and fundraising. In his later life he enjoyed swimming and fishing. Despite the controversy surrounding the laying of the barrier minefield, the official historians of Australian involvement in the Vietnam War later described Graham as a "clever and imaginative" commander, who was "widely regarded as having one of the best minds in the army", and who's "broad knowledge and fair approach earned him the respect of his subordinates." He died at his home on the Isle of Capri, Queensland on 20 July 1996 and was survived by his widow and two sons.