Graham, William Harold (Harold)

Lieutenant

No. EC/1767, Royal Indian Army Service Corps

Killed in service on Sunday 20 June 1943 (aged 33)

Buried:

Suez War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt (Grave 3. B. 6)

Commemorated:

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Bangor and District War Memorial

Hamilton Road Presbyterian Church Bangor

BIOGRAPHY

William Harold Graham was born on 17 August 1909 in the townland of Derrycughan, Co. Armagh and he was a son of William Samuel and Martha Elizabeth Graham (nee King) who were married on 7 July 1903 in Kingsmills Presbyterian Church, Co. Armagh.

William Samuel Graham worked as a bricklayer and farmer and he and Martha lived in the townland of Derrycughan, Co. Armagh.

William Samuel and Martha Graham had at least four children:

Eleanor Agnes (born 4 May 1904 in Derrycughan)

Samuel Thomas (born 25 May 1906 in Derrycughan)

William Harold Barr (born 17 August 1909 in Derrycughan)

Martha Elizabeth Gould (born 5 October 1916 in Derrycughan; died of debility 10 October 1916)

William Harold Graham trained to be a Missionary and for a time he lived in Bangor, Co. Down.  When he was in Dublin, he lived at 318 North Circular Road.  On 11 November 1933 he left Southampton bound for Bombay, India and it was his intention to work there as a Missionary.  He sailed aboard the SS Naldera.  In December 1935 he and Margaret Mitchell Bell (aged 25) were married in Bombay.  Margaret Mitchell Bell was born on 3 July 1910 in England and she was a daughter of Robert and Jane Bell (nee Bell) who were married on 13 June 1901 in Claggan Presbyterian Church, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone.  Margaret Mitchell Bell also trained to be a Missionary and she had been living at 12 St. Andrew’s Drive, Pollokshields, Glasgow when she left London on 8 November 1935 bound for Bombay.  She sailed aboard the SS Carthage.

During the Second World War William Harold Graham served with the Royal Indian Army Service Corps in Egypt and on 3 June 1940 his wife, Margaret Mitchell Graham, left Liverpool (her UK address was 3 Conan Road, Hampstead, London) bound for the Federated Malay States.  She sailed aboard the SS Hakusan Maru.

Lieutenant William Harold Graham (No. EC/1767) was killed on 20 June 1943 in Egypt and in the Letters of Administration associated with his will his former connection with Church House in Belfast was duly noted.

Lieutenant William Harold Graham (No. EC/1767) was 33 when he died, and he is commemorated on Bangor and District War Memorial and in Hamilton Road Presbyterian Church Bangor.

Margaret Mitchell Graham’s death was registered in August 1995 in Islington, London.