THE COVENANTER
be forgotten. his place in the society of people like the
Duchess of Devonshire (now the subject of a
Finally I would like to finish of my final glamorous film) and Lady Emma Hamilton
contribution to the Covenanter with a tribute (after the death of Lord Nelson), and the
to my company clerk, my regimental barber, respect and affection in which he was
and official photographer at Westminster universally held.
Abbey who has contributed unstintingly
in my efforts to produce the “Letter From He came from a family of wealthy Scottish
London””. These roles over the years have landowners. He had a well-rounded
been filled by my daughter Helen. She has education, never at school but with a most
done a splendid job for me, typing up my remarkable tutor who became famous in
copy, attending to what’s left of my tonsorial his own right. After two years at Oxford he
growth, and always coming on parade with made the Grand Tour. He married the great
me at Westminster Abbey. beauty of that age. But he was no dilettante:
he was an outstanding sportsman. He
I wish every Cameronian all the best for the showed courage and initiative from an early
future, and “lang may yer lums reek”. age. He was a real man’s man. The quote
above is attributed to his father-in-law, Lord
Yours Aye Cathcart, HM Ambassador to Russia, who
Eddie Clark must have known enough about princes.
General Sir Thomas Graham of
The great tragedy of his life was that his
beautiful young wife bore him no children
Balgowan (Lord Lynedoch)
and died at the age of 35. Whilst being borne
‘ A Peer among Princes’
back across France for burial in Perthshire
her coffin was violated by drunken French
The Graham family, much encouraged
revolutionaries. Grief-stricken and outraged
by Major General John Graham, late
at the behaviour of the French he was not
Argyll & Sutherland Highlander and a
content just to join the army and to fight
past commander of the Sultan of Muscat’s
them, he raised his own regiment to do so.
Armed Forces, has asked me to write a
He earned a fine reputation as a leader and
new biography of the esteemed founder of
as a field commander and rose rapidly to the
the 90th Perthshire Light Infantry - 2nd
highest rank. Even at the age of 85 he was
Battalion The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles).
invited to take over as Commander-in-Chief
I have been delighted to accept and have
of the Portuguese army. That says as much
been given exclusive access to the family
for his energy and stamina (he still rode to
papers.
hounds daily in season) as for his reputation
as a General.
There have been three previous biographies,
one by Delavoye written in 1880, which is
The regiment which Graham founded
probably unreadable now, and two written
went on to earn an unsurpassed reputation
in the 1950’s. One of these, by Aspinall-
for bravery and for producing very senior
Oglander, is come across occasionally.
officers. Its first Lieutenant Colonel,
The other, by Brett-James, is so rare as to
Rowland (later Field Marshall Viscount)
be unobtainable. Both concentrate quite
Hill, a close friend of Graham, rose to
understandably on his military career, but
become Commander-in-Chief in succession
he was a much more interesting man than
to Wellington. The regiment continued to
just that. It is hoped that a new account of
spawn such prodigies right through World
his life will bring the man behind the gold
War II.
braid much more to life.
He was the most companionable of men.
Graham lived an exceptionally long and
On return to London and semi-retirement,
immensely varied life. His military career
ennobled and fêted, a retired Member of
spanned barely twenty of his 95 years. He
Parliament but now a member of the upper
is best remembered now, if at all, as the
house - in those days as active a political
victor at the Battle of Barrosa (1811) and
forum as the Commons - he founded his
as Wellington’s ablest lieutenant in the
own club where he could meet his old
Peninsular War. What are little known or
friends and companions in arms. The
remembered are the breadth of his interests,
magnificent clubhouse still stands in Pall
4
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