William George Graham was the third son of William and Mary Jane Graham. William Graham married Mary Jane Trimble on 17th October 1885 in the district of Cookstown.
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William Graham was born in Cookstown on 5th May 1890. He was one of eight children, seven surviving.
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Family: William Graham, Mary Jane Graham, Matthew Graham (born 11th November 1886), Samuel Graham (born 11th November 1888), William George Graham (born 5th May 1890), Sarah Graham (born 14th July 1891), Annie Sarah Graham (born 27th June 1893), Thomas Graham (born 25th August 1894), Margaret Elizabeth Graham (born 19th November 1897), Joseph Graham (born 1st February 1900).
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The 1901 census lists William as age 11, living with the family at house 42 in Church Street, Cookstown. His father was a beetler.
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William was a member of Killymoon Conservative Flute Band, which had ten members serving with the colours by December 1915.
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William was also a member of Strifehill L.O.L.
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William worked in the Greenvale Mill until shortly before the war.
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William enlisted in Cookstown.
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The 1911 census lists a W G Graham, age 18, in barracks at 28.2 in Gortmore, Omagh County Tyrone.
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William Graham was on the reserve of the 3rd Battalion of the Inniskillings.
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The 1911 census does not list William as living with the family at house 29 in Killymoon Street, Cookstown. His mother was a widow and worked as a linen weaver.
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The family moved to Dunmurry, near Lisburn, before the start of the First World War.
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Private William George Graham went to the front in October 1914.
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In February he was wounded and in hospital for a couple of months, afterwards paying a visit to his friends.
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Once recovered, Private Graham was sent to join the 1st Battalion at Gallipoli.
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Private William George Graham was initially reported missing on 20th August.
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Private William George Graham was serving with the 1st Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was killed in action along with Thomas Devlin and John Rafferty during the assault on Scimitar Hill, Gallipoli, on Saturday 21st August 1915.
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From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 18th December 1915: Private William G Grahame
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Private William G Grahame, 3rd Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, who has been missing since 20th August. Private Grahame was born in Cookstown, and worked in Greenvale mill until shortly before the war, when the family went to Dunmurry, where his mother now resides. He was a member of Killymoon Conservative Flute Band, which has ten members serving with the colours, and he was also a member of Strifehill L.O.L. Private Graham was on the reserve of the 3rd Battalion of the Inniskillings, and went to the front in October 1914. In February he was wounded and in hospital for a couple of months, afterwards paying a visit to his friends. Then he was sent to join the 1st Battalion at Gallipoli, and on 20th August he was reported as missing. His mother will gladly receive any information regarding him. He has two brothers with the colours, on in the 5th Inniskillings and the other with the 11th Rifles (South Antrim Volunteers), and an uncle is with the 10th Inniskillings (Derry Volunteers).
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In his will, he left all to his mother.
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Last Will and Testament of Private Graham dated 27th October 1914:
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In the event of my death, I leave all of my belongings to my mother (money and all my articles and all I have), to Mrs M J Graham, No 12 Milfort Avenue, Dunmurry, County Antrim, Ireland. Signed Private G Gordon, No 3768, 3rd Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
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Private William Graham has no known grave and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial in Turkey.
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This inscription photo was taken by the Friends of the Somme Mid Ulster Branch on a visit to Gallipoli in September 2014.
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William’s brother, Corporal Thomas Graham, was serving with the 12th Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles when was he killed in action near Ypres on 14th April 1918.
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Another brother served with the 5th Inniskillings and an uncle was with the 10th Inniskillings (Derry Volunteers).
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Only Corporal Thomas Graham is commemorated on Lisburn War Memorial, presumably because Private William Graham did not go and live with the family in Dunmurry.
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The CWGC record Private William Graham as the son of Mary J Graham of Milfort Avenue, Dunmurry, County Antrim, and also a son of the late William Graham.
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