Peter Wise and Brenda McMahon have submitted the following:-
John (known as Austin) was born the son of John and Margaret Elizabeth (nee Atkinson) at Barnard Castle on March 2nd 1872 then later baptised on July 8th 1872 at St Mary’s Roman Catholic church in the town.
The couple had 7 children Louisa, John Austin, Thomas, Margaretta, Elizabeth Rebecca, Malcolm and Cyril (aka Peter). Malcolm eventually was admitted to an asylum at York.
The 1881 census shows John senior working as a chemist/grocer. As well as the family also living with them was their maternal grandmother, Elizabeth.
1891 shows the family more or less as before. Austin is now an electrical engineering apprentice.
By 1901 Austin is found boarding with the Cowell sisters at Balmoral Terrace Middlesbrough. He is now a qualified electrical engineer.
Austin’s mother, Margaret, died in 1910.
The family has greatly reduced by 1911. The only family members living at home are father, John, daughter Elizabeth, Austin and a domestic servant.
Austin married late in 1914 Mary Edmond at Bath although it appears a daughter, Mary, was born to them the previous year.
Apart from earning a living with his electrical engineering work Austin was a talented actor, singer and dancer appearing in many music hall shows and theatre reviews mainly in the north of the country. There are several articles in various newspapers before and during the war.
He was badly gassed about May 27th 1915 which was considered bad enough for him to be sent home for treatment.
The Sheffield Daily News 08/06/1915 reported :-
“Austin was reported to be in Lady Eveline Mason’s Hospital for Officers in London suffering from gas poisoning. Captain Graham is an electrical engineer. He was formerly with a Huddersfield firm and also played Association Football in the town”.
The following notes are from the Officers Roll, Yorkshire Regiment explaining the circumstances contributing to his death from wounds on April 11th 1918. Austin served with the 5th Battalion attached to the 4th at this time. :-
“Austin was with the 4th Battalion when war broke out in August 1914. He landed with the battalion at Boulogne on 18th April 1915 when the battalion was almost straight away thrown into the 2nd Battle of Ypres.
On April 24th 1915 Captain Graham and his men had their first taste of action in fierce fighting during the Battle of St Julien. On Whit Monday 1915 the battalion were in the trenches astride the Menin Road at Hooge. Austin Graham was badly gassed and hospitalised with his injuries.
In early 1918 the battalion were back in the Ypres sector and when the German Spring Offensive opened on March 21 they were in a position close to Harcourt. There followed 9 days of fighting on the retreat under enemy onslaught. A brief rest at Bethune followed this and then on the 8th April the battalion was moved up to take part in the Battle of Lys.
By now Commanding Officer of the 4th Battalion, Major Austin Graham, was wounded in action during efforts to hold a bridge at Saily sur La Lys. He died of wounds the following day April 11th 1918 at the age of 48.
His grave today lies in Haverskerque British cemetery just north of St. Venant.
An inscription was later added to his grave “What I gave I have.”
His estate amounted to £5025.7s.11d which was left to his widow who lived at Huntcliffe House, Saltburn by Sea.
John Austin Graham is remembered at Barnard Castle on B135.02, B135.04, B135.12, B135.20, B135.23 and B135.25
He is also remembered at Middlesbrough and Saltburn by Sea.
