John Graham (British Army officer)

Colonel John Graham (24 April 1778 – 13 March 1821) was a soldier notable for founding Grahamstown, South Africa] in 1814. Grahamstown went on to become a military, administrative, judicial and educational centre for its surrounding region.

John Graham was born in Dundee, Scotland. He was the second son of Robert Graham, the last laird of the demesne of Fintry and 12th representative of the Grahams of Fintry in Forfarshire, Scotland. Later in life, John became the 13th representative of the Fintry Grahams following the death of his elder brother in 1799 and his father in 1816.

At the age of 16, John was commissioned in the British Army, joining the 90th Regiment of Foot, which had been raised in 1794 by his , Thomas Graham of Balgowan (later Lord Lynedoch). Two expeditions to France in the late 1790s were followed by an appointment as aide-de-camp to the Earl of Chatham, who Graham served in the Netherlands. After three years on Guernsey with his regiment, Graham was sent to Ireland in 1803 and became assistant quartermaster-general.

January 1806 found him raised to the rank of Major in the 93rd Regiment of Foot, in which capacity he took part in the Battle of Blaauwberg, helping Great Britain to re-occupy the Cape of South Africa. Rapid promotion to Lieutenant Colonel led to him being given charge of the Cape Regiment, based at Wynberg, which Graham trained as light infantry capable of delivering outstanding performance in wooded terrain.

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