Tpr. John Fairley Graham

John Fairley Graham was born at Tolaga Bay, Gisborne on the East Coast of New Zealand's North Island on 18 January 1890. His parents were John Fairley Graham and Sarah Augusta Graham (nee Surman). John joined the Wellington Mounted Rifles during World War I (Service No. WWI 11/1251). He and his brother Thomas had fought together and survived Gallipoli. John died of wounds in Egypt on 10 January 1917 and was buried in the Kantara War Memorial Cemetery, [F. 267.] His brother, Thomas Robert Graham, had been killed in Egypt the day before, on 9 January 1917. Their two cousins were also killed: John Joseph Bishop at Ypres on 12 October 1917 and William Norman Clarke Bishop in France on 23 May 1918.

Sources

1. Cenotaph: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/...

Details

• Rank: Trooper
• Service No:11/1251
• Date of Death:10/01/1917
• Age: 25
• Regiment/Service: Wellington Mounted Rifles, N.Z.E.F.
• Grave Reference: F. 267.
• Cemetery: KANTARA WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY
• Additional Information: Son of John F. and Augusta Graham, of Gisborne, New Zealand.

John and his brother Thomas were both in the 5th Reinforcements of the Wellington Mounted Rifles. They had fought together and survived Gallipoli but in Egypt their luck ran out. On the 9th January 1917 the younger of the brothers, Thomas was killed in action and John who had been badly wounded died the following day.

See also: Brothers in Arms http://www.armymuseum.co.nz/kiwis-at-war/voices-from-the-past/broth...