Photo: Brian Chandler
Newcastle Journal Saturday 14th June 1941
Graham was born in 1920 in Inveresk, Musselburgh to parents John Lorrimer and Edith Mary nee Coatham, who were married on the 6th August 1915 in Blythswood, Glasgow. He was the youngest of their family and had two elder sisters, Kathleen (1915-1995) and Maureen Elizabeth (1917-1982). Kathleen was born in Yorkshire and Maureen was born in Musselburgh, Scotland.
His father John was born on the 11th December 1887 in Hutchesontown, Lanarkshire and his mother Edith Mary was born on the 29th February 1892 in Scarborough. John was an electrical engineer by trade and his mother Edith Mary, was working as a Domestic Servant in 1911 although on their marriage registration she is down as a spinster.
In 1939 the family are residing at 2 Marden Avenue in Cullercoats and it appears that the father is away for work. Graham’s sisters are at home with their mother and both have jobs as shorthand typists. There is no sign of Graham on this record and it is assumed he had enlisted by this time.
On 4th June 1941, Graham died while serving his country on active service and cause of death given was Diptheria with Myocarditis.
The Royal Corps of Signals (often simply known as the Royal Signals - abbreviated to R SIGNALS) is one of the combat support arms of the British Army. Signals units are among the first into action, providing the battlefield communications and information systems essential to all operations. Royal Signals units provide the full telecommunications infrastructure for the Army wherever they operate in the world. The Corps has its own engineers, logistics experts and systems operators to run radio and area networks in the field. It is responsible for installing, maintaining and operating all types of telecommunications equipment and information systems, providing command support to commanders and their headquarters, and conducting electronic warfare against enemy communications. The Royal Signals was created in 1920, after Winston Churchill, Secretary of State for War issued a Royal Warrant declaring that there should be a Corps of Signals within the British Army. The origins date back to 1870. During the Second World War, the corps had over 150,000 members. After the war, the unit took part in several notable campaigns in Palestine, Malaya and the Korean War. The Royal Signals also delivered communications in the Falklands War, the first Gulf War, Kosovo and the second Gulf War. Currently, they are deployed in Cyprus, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. All members of the corps wear a blue and white tactical recognition flash on the right arm. The cap badge also features Mercury, the winged messenger of the Gods.
Graham’s father John Lorrimer, died on the 1st September 1957 of natural causes in the MishNish Hotel, Tobermory, Mull, and the Scotlands People death registration has his profession as Transmission Engineer at the time of death. His mother Edith Mary died on the 25th September 1983 in North Shields., England.
His paternal grandparents, John Lorimer and Mary Bonnar were married in St Francis Chapel in Glasgow on the 30th November 1883. His grandfather worked as a Road Labourer for a living and he and Mary had four children in total; two sons and two daughters, his father John (1887-1957); Easter (1885–1932); James (1886–1928) and Hellen. His grandfather died on 27th August 1889 of Phthisis in Hutchesontown and his grandmother died 3rd April 1917 of Heart disease and Syncope in Calton, Glasgow.
Graham’s maternal grandparents John Coatham (1857–1942) and Elizabeth Burnard (1864–1939) married on the 6th May 1889 in Scarborough. Their family consisted of 12 children in total, five sons and seven daughters: his mother Edith Mary (1892–1983) and her brothers and sisters: John Thomas (1887–1967); Annie (1889–1969); Alice May (1893–1977); Nellie (1894–1970); Elsie (1896–1984); Ernest (1897–1970); Jessie (1898–1998); Frederick (1900–1900); Albert Edward (1902–1986); Dorothy (1903–1941) and George Edgar (1908–1995).
From 1891 to 1910 the family are living in Ramshill Road, Scarborough with their children and John was a cabman/groom; in 1911 John is down as a cab driver and they are residing at 26 Long West Gate in Scarborough. The 1939 register has the father living with his daughter Elsie at 29 Hoxton Road, Scarborough – John is now retired and Elsie is a Restaurant Manageress.
He is also remembered in Tynemouth (Preston) Cemetery where there is the family headstone which reads:
loving memory of
my dear husband
John Lorrimer
died September 1st 1957 aged 67
also Graham
son of the above
died on active service
June 4th 1941 aged 21
also Edith Mary
dear wife of the above John
died September 25th 1983 aged 91.
Research : Cynthia Kent/James Pasby
