A Ribbon Bar Attributed to Air Vice Marshal Ronald Graham; RNAS

 

Footnote: Air Vice Marshal Ronald Graham, CB, CBE, DSO, DSC & Bar, DFC was born on July 19, 1896 in Yokohama, Japan, the son of William Graham. He was educated at St. Joseph's College, Yokohama and Castle Douglas Academy in Scotland and was a medical student when the First World War began. In 1915, he joined the Royal Naval Division, at the age of 19. He was commissioned a Temporary Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Navy on May 25, 1915 and promoted to Flight Sub-Lieutenant in September 1915. In September, he pulled a lateral transfer into the Royal Naval Air Service as a Flight Sub-Lieutenant. He received Royal Aero Club Certificate 2041 on a Grahame-White biplane at Grahame-White School, Hendon on November 15, 1915. In 1916, he served at the Dover Seaplane Base. He then moved to Dunkirk on June 8, 1916, flying cover for the North Sea Fleet. During this time, he was forced into landing in the sea on two occasions. He became part of the Saint Pol Seaplane Defence Flight, which formed on June 30, 1917. Graham tallied his first two victories at this time, destroying a German seaplane on June 19th while piloting a Sopwith Baby, and another while piloting a Sopwith Pup on August 12, 1917, the latter shared with Leonard Slatter. His unit morphed into No. 13 Squadron, Royal Naval Air Squadron, sometimes referred to as 13 Naval Squadron. He switched to Sopwith Camels for his next three victories. He shared number three with Slatter, on September 15th, and destroyed two more, one each on September 25th and October 19th. Then, on December 29th, while showboating for his nurse girlfriend, he crashed and seriously injured himself. After his convalescence, he returned to his squadron, which was now No. 213 Squadron Royal Air Force, and took command in May 1918. In total, he was credited with five aerial victories, designating his as an Ace. He later served with No. 233 Squadron in 1918-1919. Graham was cited for three awards during the war: the Distinguished Service Cross, the Bar to the Distinguished Service Cross and the Distinguished Service Order. Flight Sub-Lieutenant Ronald Grahame (sic), R.N.A.S. was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, his citation appearing in the Supplement to the London Gazette 29799 of Tuesday, October 24, 1916, on Wednesday, October 25, 1916, page 10362: "For exceptional gallantry in attacking and beating off four enemy seaplanes whilst on escort duty off the Belgian coast on the 22nd September, 1916." Flight Lieutenant Ronald Grahame (sic), D.S.C., R.N.A.S. was awarded the Bar to the Distinguished Service Cross, his citation appearing in the Fourth Supplement to the London Gazette 30066 of Friday, May 11, 1917, on Saturday, May 12, 1917, page 4626: "For conspicuous gallantry during raids on the seaplane station at Zeebrugge. On one occasion he descended to 600 feet, and on another occasion to 300 feet, before releasing his bombs." Acting Flight Lieutenant-Commander Ronald Graham, D.S.C., R.N.A.S. was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, his citation appearing in the Second Supplement to the London Gazette 30386 of Friday, November 16, 1917, on Saturday, November 17, 1917, page 11922-3: "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in air fights and bombing raids. Since the award of a bar to the Distinguished Service Cross, Act. Flt. Cdr. Graham has carried out five night bombing raids, and attacked and brought down three enemy seaplanes. On one occasion he ascended at night for the purpose of attacking hostile machines, notwithstanding the fact that he had only returned a few hours previously from a successful action with hostile aircraft in superior numbers. He has always displayed remarkable skill and courage." During the war, Graham was Mentioned in Despatches. He receiving a permanent commission in the Royal Air Force as Captain on August 1, 1919. For his First World War service, he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal with MID Oak Leaf. He remained in the Royal Air Force after the war, posted to RAF Kenley in 1930. Wing Commander Ronald Graham DSO, DSC, DFC was named Group Captain, the announcement appearing in the London Gazette 34237 of Tuesday, December 31, 1935, page 8407 and in Flight Magazine of Thursday, January 9, 1936, page 50. Upon the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, Graham was an Air Commodore, Deputy Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) on the Staff at the Headquarters of Fighter Command. He was a Member of the Air Mission to North Africa from December 1939 to January 1940, Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO), Headquarters Flying Training Command in 1940, Air Officer in charge of Administration (AOA), Headquarters Technical Training Command (Reading) as of May 27, 1940 and Air Officer in charge of Administration (AOA), Headquarters Bomber Command as of February 1, 1941. Air Vice-Marshal Ronald Graham, D.S.O., D.S.C., D.F.C was awarded the Commander of the Military Division of the Order of the British Empire, the announcement appearing in the Second Supplement to the London Gazette 35586 of Friday, June 5, 1942, on June 11, 1942, page 2487. Air Vice Marshal Ronald Graham, C.B.E., D.S.O., D.S.C., D.F.C. was awarded the Companion of the Order of the Bath, the announcement appearing in the Second Supplement to the London Gazette 35841 of Tuesday, December 29, 1942, on Friday, January 1, 1943, page 4. He held a number of positions during the last three years of the war, including: Planning Staff (Overlord), Air Ministry in 1943, Chief of Staff (Air), Headquarters Combined Operations as of August 1943, Air Officer Commanding (AOC), AHQ West Africa as of January 23, 1944, Commandant at RAF Staff College, Bulstrode Park as of December 1944 and Commandant at RAF Staff College, Bracknell as of July 1945. Graham retired on June 29, 1948 in the rank of Air Vice Marshal and later became Commandant of the Scottish Police College. His awards included the Companion of the Order of the Bath, the Commander of the Military Division of the Order of the British Empire, the Distinguished Service Order, the Distinguished Service Cross & Bar, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Knight of the Legion of Honour (France), the Croix de Guerre (France) and the Officer of the Order of the Crown (Belgium). Air Vice Marshal Ronald Graham, Royal Air Force died on June 23, 1967 in Sannox, Isle of Arran, Scotland, at the age of 70.