Ronald Graham (RAF officer)

Ronald Graham
Air Vice Marshal Graham (left), the Air Officer Administration at BCHQ, studying a map of Germany with Arthur Harris and Air Vice Marshal Saundby, Harris's Senior Air Staff Officer.
Born	19 July 1896 Yokohama, Japan
Died	23 June 1967 (aged 70) Sannox, Isle of Arran, Scotland
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1915 – 1948
Rank	Air Vice Marshal
Unit	Seaplane Defence Flight No. 13 Squadron RNAS
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order Distinguished Service Cross & Bar Distinguished Flying Cross Order of the Crown (Belgium) Croix de Guerre (France)
Other work	Commandant of the Scottish Police College

Air Vice Marshal Ronald Graham CB, CBE, DSO, DSC*, DFC (19 July 1896 – 23 June 1967) was a World War I flying ace of the Royal Naval Air Service. Remaining in the Royal Air Force after that war, he rose to the rank of air vice marshal during World War II.^[1]

World War I

Graham was a medical student when World War I began. In 1915, he joined the Royal Naval Division. In September, he pulled a lateral transfer into the Royal Naval Air Service as a Flight Sub-Lieutenant. In 1916, he served at the Dover Seaplane Base. He then moved to Dunkirk, flying cover for the North Sea Fleet. During this time, he was forced into landing in the sea on two occasions. He became part of the Saint Pol Seaplane Defence Flight,^[2] which formed on 30 June 1917.^[3] Graham tallied his first two victories at this time, destroying a German seaplane on 19 June while piloting a Sopwith Baby, and another while piloting a Sopwith Pup on 12 August 1917; the latter was shared with Leonard Slatter.^[1][2]

His unit morphed into No. 13 Squadron RNAS, sometimes referred to as 13 Naval Squadron. He switched to Sopwith Camels for his next three victories. He shared number three with Slatter, on 15 September, and destroyed two more, one each on 25 September and 19 October 1917. Then, on 29 December, while showboating for his nurse girlfriend, he crashed and seriously injured himself. After his convalescence, he returned to his squadron, which was now No. 213 Squadron RAF, and took command in May 1918.^[2] In total he was credited with five aerial victories.

World War II

On the outbreak of World War II, Graham was an Air Commodore on the staff at the headquarters of Fighter Command.

Honours and awards

• Companion of the Order of the Bath - 1 January 1943
• Commander of the Order of the British Empire - 11 June 1942
• Distinguished Service Order - 17 November 1917
• Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) – 25 October 1916, Bar - 12 May 1917
• Distinguished Flying Cross - 11 January 1919
• Mentioned in Despatches
• Croix de Guerre (France) - 2 November 1917
• Officer of the Order of the Crown (Belgium) - 8 February 1919
• Honorary Spahi, 2nd Class (Algeria) - 1940
• Chevalier of the Legion of Honour (France) - 1946
• Deputy Lieutenant of Bute – 12 July 1961
• Justice of the peace – 1961
• Lord Lieutenant of Bute - 19 July 1963

Citations

Distinguished Service Cross

Flight Sub-Lieutenant Ronald Grahame, R.N.A.S.

For exceptional gallantry in attacking and beating off four enemy seaplanes whilst on escort duty off the Belgian coast on the 22nd September, 1916.^[4]

Bar to the Distinguished Service Cross

Flight Lieutenant Ronald Grahame, D.S.C., R.N.A.S.

For conspicuous gallantry during raids on the seaplane station at Zeebrugge. On one occasion he descended to 600 feet, and on another occasion to 300 feet, before releasing his bombs.^[5]

Distinguished Service Order

Acting Flight Lieutenant-Commander Ronald Graham, D.S.C., R.N.A.S

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in air fights and bombing raids. Since the award of a bar to the Distinguished Service Cross, Act. Flt. Cdr. Graham has carried out five night bombing raids, and attacked and brought down three enemy seaplanes. On one occasion he ascended at night for the purpose of attacking hostile machines, notwithstanding the fact that he had only returned a few hours previously from a successful action with hostile aircraft in superior numbers. He has always displayed remarkable skill and courage.^[6]

Notes

1. "Ronald Graham". The Aerodrome. 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
2. Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915-1920. p. 174.
3. Royal Navy Aircraft Serials and Units 1911 to 1919. p. 435.
4. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29799. p. 10362. 25 October 1916.
5. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30066. p. 4626. 12 May 1917.
6. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30386. p. 11922. 17 November 1917.

References

• Sturtivant, Ray; Page, Gordon & Cronin, Dick (1992). Royal Navy aircraft serials and units 1911 to 1919. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 978-0-85130-191-4.
• Shores, Christopher F.; Franks, Norman & Guest, Russell F. (1990). Above the Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915-1920. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9.
• Barass, M. B. (2015). "Air Vice-Marshal R. Graham". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation.