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Able Sea. Benjamin Graham MiiD.
British Army Howe Btn. Royal Naval Division
from:Carlisle
Benjamin Graham was my grandfather. He served with the Royal Naval Division and died in 1969 when I was twelve without talking about the war. All I knew was three pictures of sailors on the wall.
Ben Graham, who was originally from Carlisle returned to England from working in Renfrew, Scotland, to join the Northumberland Fusiliers on 31st Aug 1914 but transferred a week later to RNVR Howe Battalion. Ben’s older brothers Robert and Thomas also joined Howe Battalion over the next six months and although I am not sure if Ben saw service on the western front beforehand, all the three brothers fought at Gallipoli where my Grandfather was “Mentioned in Despatchesâ€. Both he and his brother Robert were invalided back to Blandford with dysentry but the third brother, Thomas was not so lucky as he was killed on the 6th June in the Dardanelles. Ben and Robert were both later sent to France but Robert died, I think, at Gravelle and was buried in Aubigny.
Ben saw out the war from May 1916 with Anson Battalion and the 188, 189 and 190 Machine gun corps. After the war he returned to Scotland to marry my Grandmother. They also survived the depression and later Ben was an ARP in WW2. I remember he stood up every night for the National Anthem when the TV finished for the night. This research has shown me what a remarkable life the quiet little man led.
