Tributes have been paid to a Gordon Highlander following his death just two days shy of the New Year.
Lieutenant General Sir Peter Graham KCB, CBE passed away on Monday at the age of 87.
Known as “The Tache” both within the Regiment and the wider Army, he held a number of ranks and positions during his tenure, which began at just age 16.
He commanded 1st Battalion The Gordon Highlanders on an 18 month tour in Belfast and served as the last Colonel of the regiment before its amalgamation with the Queen’s Own Highlanders.
After 39 years of service as a Gordon Highlander, Sir Peter retired in 1993.
And 12 months later, he commanded the Regiment’s Farewell Parade in Duthie Park.
“I am a Gordon Highlander and I will be until the day I die”
In a previous interview with The Press and Journal, Sir Peter said he would be a Gordon Highlander till the “day I die”.
He said: “I am Gordon-daft. Being a Gordon Highlander has totally moulded me, shaped me and changed me.
“I am a Gordon Highlander and I will be until the day I die, just like so many others.”
Following his retirement, Sir Peter – who was brought up in Aberdeen and at Fyvie – was the driving force behind memorialising the regiment’s dedication and sacrifice for generations to come.
After leading a successful fundraising campaign, Sir Peter saw the opening of the Gordon Highlanders Museum in Aberdeen in April 1997.
Now, his legacy will be among those memorialised at the city attraction.
‘He made us proud to be Gordon Highlanders’
Tributes have today been pouring in for the 87-year-old, paying homage to his service and dedication to the regiment.
Colonel Charlie Sloan OBE, Chair of The Gordon Highlanders Regimental Trust said: “He was my first Commanding Officer. All of us who served under him will remember the standards he set, both for us and himself.
“He made us proud to be Gordon Highlanders and the self-respect that engendered was the engine for our excellence.
“It wasn’t by accident that we were one of the best Regiments in the Army – it was because of Gordon Highlanders like Peter Graham.”
Major Grenville Irvine-Fortescue MBE, DL Chairman of The Gordon Highlanders Regimental Association described him as a “hard taskmaster” with a “charming manner” that could win over most.
He added: “It has been my great privilege and honour to have worked very closely with Sir Peter over the last 14 years.
“It was through his incredible knowledge about the Regiment’s 200-year history, his inspirational and sound advice, his knowledge of and dedication to the welfare of his veteran Gordon Highlanders and their families, that I have been able to keep the Gordon Highlanders Regimental Association such a strong and thriving concern.
“Sir Peter strove to achieve the highest standards in everything he did and he expected similar standards from his soldiers and those under his command.
“A hard taskmaster, but with a human touch and a charming manner that won over many. Greatly admired and respected by his Gordon Highlanders and so many others.”
“We have an immense amount to thank him for and are incredibly proud of what he achieved throughout his life for us all.”
Mr John McLeish, chief executive of The Gordon Highlanders Museum said Sir Peter’s legacy will live on at the city attraction.
“Peter will be sorely missed by everyone associated with The Gordon Highlanders Museum,” he said.
“His memory and his legacy will, however, endure here at St Luke’s for the benefit of future generations so that they may better understand the life of a Regiment, spanning 200 years and, with the towns and villages of the North East at its core.”
Conversation