Stuart Clarence Graham

Stuart Clarence Graham
Graham, then a brigadier, while serving as Commander 1 ATF in South Vietnam, 1967.
Born	23 October 1920 Ulmarra, New South Wales, Australia
Died	20 July 1996(1996-07-20) (aged 75) Isle of Capri, Queensland, Australia
Allegiance	Australia
Service/branch	Australian Army
Years of service	1938–77
Rank	Major General
Commands held	2nd Battalion, Australian Regiment 1st Armoured Regiment 6th Task Force 1st Australian Task Force Northern Command 1st Division
Battles/wars	Second World War Occupation of Japan Vietnam War
Awards	Officer of the Order of Australia Distinguished Service Order Officer of the Order of the British Empire Military Cross

Major General Stuart Clarence Graham AO, DSO, OBE, MC (23 October 1920 – 20 July 1996) was a senior officer in the Australian Army, seeing service during the Second World War, the Occupation of Japan and the Vietnam War. Born in 1920, he graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1940. Graham subsequently held a series of regimental and staff appointments, serving in a number of infantry and armoured units during the Second World War. In the post-war period he served in the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan, and held a number of staff and command positions in the Armoured Corps. In the late 1950s he was posted to Army Headquarters, and later served as Director of Military Intelligence. Commanding the 1st Australian Task Force (1 ATF) during fighting in South Vietnam during 1967, he was responsible for establishing the controversial barrier minefield from Dat Do to the coast. Later, Graham filled a range of senior command, staff and diplomatic roles in Australia and overseas, including the position of Deputy Chief of the General Staff (DCGS), before retiring in 1977. He died in 1996.

Graham was born in Ulmarra, New South Wales, on 23 October 1920, and was educated at Grafton High School. Highly intelligent, he did well at school and achieved a high position in the Leaving Certificate. After joining the Australian Army in January 1938, at the age of 19 he graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon (RMC) in August 1940, following the outbreak of the Second World War. He was subsequently allocated to the Armoured Corps as a regular officer in the Permanent Military Force (PMF) with the rank of lieutenant. At Duntroon Graham had excelled academically and was known for his unorthodox and innovative tactical solutions to military problems. Top of his graduating class, he received the Kings Medal for his achievements. Shortly after his commissioning he married Joyce Lawrence of Canberra on 20 August 1940, and the couple later had two sons—Stuart born in 1941, and Ray born in 1944.