Photo: James Pasby

24263443 Guardsman
G. Lawson
2nd Battalion
Coldstream Guards
21st July 1974 Age 17½

Killed in Cyprus
Loving Memories
Of You Forever
Mam Dad Brother and Sisters

The Newcastle Journal 23/07/1974 reports:-

North soldier is first killed

The first British soldier to be killed In Cyprus was named last night as teenage Guardsman Graham Lawson. of Barmston Village. Washington, Co. Durham.

Guardsman Lawson, who was 18 and single. was in the Second Battalion of the Coldstream Guards. He was in one two companies attached to the United Nations - peace keeping force.

He died in a tragic accident in the Llmassol district when a weapon he was unloading exploded. The weapon had been surrendered by a Turkish Cypriot.

He was due to return home in December to celebrate his birthday and become engaged to a local girl Joyce Yates of Church View Washington.

Graham a soldier for 18 months had been in Cyprus for 4 weeks. This was his first posting.