Obituaries: General Sir Peter Graham, last Colonel of the Gordon Highlanders

He was the last Colonel of the Regiment of The Gordon Highlanders. He commanded the Regiment’s Farewell Parade in Duthie Park in 1994, prior to its amalgamation with the Queen’s Own Highlanders. His lasting legacy is The Gordon Highlanders Museum in Aberdeen. He was directly responsible for running the successful fundraising campaign that saw it opened in 1997.

Sir Peter was born in London on 14 March 1937. His father was a Scot and a doctor and his mother of English/French heritage. In mid-1940 he moved to be with his grandparents in Aberdeen and later to Fyvie where he spent the next five years. This was a special time for him and a period of his life that set his enduring love for Scotland. After the war ended, he moved back to London and after completing his schooling at St Paul’s, in March 1955, he decided to sign up as a Regular soldier in The Gordon Highlanders. He completed his recruit training at the Gordons Depot in Aberdeen before reporting to The Royal Military Academy (RMA), Sandhurst. On completion of his officer training there he was commissioned into The Gordon Highlanders on 21 December 1956.

Sir Peter had a remarkable career. He was totally committed to service. He wanted to learn everything he could about his profession so he could lead and look after in the best possible way the men he had, as he would say, the privilege to command. This was ‘fixture/theme/intent’ of his military career and a standard he set in all his future commands. He joined the 1st Battalion at Dover in March 1957 before moving with it to West Germany. He served there before being posted to the Gordons Depot as a Training Subaltern. At one point he was attached to 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards for an exercise in Libya. They offered him a commission but; “Once a Gordon, always a Gordon…..!” After his depot posting, he returned to the Battalion in Celle before being posted with it to Gil Gil in Kenya in January 1962. Later that year, he was posted to HQ Highland Brigade in Perth. It was during this posting that Sir Peter had the joy of marrying his “Duchess Jean” – Alison Mary Morren from Huntly. Lady Graham had triumphed in the competition to find a ‘Duchess’ to lead the Battalion’s recruiting campaign. What better way to win the hearts of men from the North East than to relive the story of the original Duchess!

Sir Peter rejoined the Battalion in Kenya in August 1963 and was involved in operations in both Swaziland and Zanzibar. In March 1964 after a brief return to Edinburgh, he again deployed on operations, this time to Borneo in February 1965. For his operational service in Borneo Sir Peter was awarded ‘Mentioned in Despatches’. After returning to Edinburgh in 1966, and over the next three years, Sir Peter served with HQ 1st (British) Corps at Bielefeld, West Germany, attended the Royal Military College of Science at Shrivenham, and then Staff College in Australia. In February 1969 he rejoined the 1st Battalion in Minden, West Germany until he was posted to Northern Ireland as Brigade Major of HQ 39 Infantry Brigade at Lisburn. He served in this extremely demanding appointment until late August 1972 and was awarded an operational MBE for his service in this appointment. Returning to the 1st Battalion at Fort George, he then completed an operational tour in Belfast in 1973 before being posted with the Battalion to Singapore. From April 1974, future appointments included Military Advisor to the Adjutant General MoD, followed by selection to command 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders in 1976. This appointment had been Sir Peter’s aspiration since first joining the Regiment nearly 20 years earlier. He was then to command the Battalion at Fort George followed by an operational tour at Palace Barracks outside Belfast until May 1978, when the Battalion was posted to Chester. Sir Peter was made an OBE for his operational service during the Palace Barracks tour of duty.

Sir Peter went on to serve as Chief of Staff of HQ 3 Armoured Division in West Germany until April 1982, following which he was awarded CBE. He was then appointed Commander Ulster Defence Regiment, Northern Ireland. This was a significant accolade given his previous Northern Ireland operational experience. At the end of this tour he was awarded another ‘Mentioned in Despatches’. Sir Peter attended the National Defence College in Canada and after completing a further MoD appointment, he took over as General Officer Commanding (GOC) Eastern District in December 1986. He held this post until February 1989 when he was appointed Commandant RMA Sandhurst. His final Regular service appointment was as GOC Scotland and Governor of Edinburgh Castle which he held from March 1989 until April 1993 and he then finally retired from the Army on 1st June 1993 after 37 years’ service.

Sir Peter was not however about to put his feet up! He was Colonel The Gordon Highlanders and he immediately took on the appointment of Chairman of The Gordon Highlanders Museum and ran it and its fundraising campaign until 2003. This was a critical period when the Regiment bought the Museum and thereafter set about creating what has since become an incredibly special ‘home’ for all things and matters Gordon Highlander. It was Sir Peter who had the vision of what should be, could be and subsequently did become the museum. Without his drive and determination for this to succeed the very special museum there is today would not exist. The ‘journey’ was not easy and the Army cuts and loss of the Regiment as an Infantry Regiment of the Line was a cruel blow. Sir Peter fought incredibly hard to save the Regiment. He was eternally grateful for the support from an ‘Army’ of supporters – so many going out of their way to raise the flag to reverse the decision. The result was an even greater determination by Sir Peter to keep the Regimental Flag flying.

Sir Peter was enormously humbled by the support he received on behalf of the museum. Those who were part of the creation will know just how much he appreciated that support. It was not just the museum that mattered. The museum was to be the heritage in the longer term, but Sir Peter wanted a lasting ‘Memorial’ in Aberdeen City. The result was the Gordon Highlander Statue in the city. This was a highlight in shaping how The Gordon Highlanders would be remembered.

Sir Peter was an immensely proud Scot, but equally proud of being British. As such he spent two years offering support to the Better Together Campaign. He was inspirational to listen to as he delivered his comments with pride in what he had experienced in life and what he saw as the best way forward. He also spoke from his heart, amplified by his love for Scotland and his Gordon Highlander, largely Scottish born and bred, soldiers. He cared very much..

For a man who devoted most of his life to his Regiment and most importantly those who served as Gordon Highlanders, as well as and in equal measure to those under his command across all his service from whichever formation they may have been a part. All have much to thank him for. For Gordon Highlanders in particular, he is owed an immense debt of gratitude.

Sir Peter’s life was of course not all about military service, he very much enjoyed so much more. He loved his rowing at St Paul’s where he was part of the 2nd VIII. He was a member of the Gordons Depot Champion Tug o’War Team in 1959-1960. He was appointed to The Royal Company of Archers in 1986. He loved country pursuits from game shooting to hill walking to red deer stalking. He equally enjoyed gardening, as he admitted, under Lady Graham’s instructions! His love of military and Regimental History speaks for itself. Possibly one of his favourite ‘downtime’ pastimes was Pipe Music. Along with Pipe Major Brian MacRae RVM, he completed two volumes of Gordon Highlander Pipe Music. This is a very special collection of tunes composed in many cases by wonderful pipers who served in the Regiment over its 200-year history.

It is impossible to sum up this story of such a remarkable man. He gave his all in every respect to every appointment he had. He regarded his Commission as a great privilege and he devoted his life to living up to and imparting the standards that such a commission expects. There are not many who offer such devotion. As a Regiment and as Gordon Highlanders we have an enormous amount to thank him and be grateful to him for.

Sir Peter is survived by his wife Alison and his sons, Jamie, Roddy and Dougie.

Obituaries

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