Leading Stoker Walter Graham

Leading Stoker Walter Tait Graham, Royal Navy. He was killed in action off Norway on 22nd April 1940, aged 27 whilst aboard H.M.S. “Pelican”.  He was the son of Thomas and Jane Graham and is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. ” Pelican ” was an ” Egret ” class anti-aircraft sloop and had been commissioned in March 1939. On 22nd April she was on her way to Romsdal Fjord carrying Naval personnel to Molde in Norway as part of the Norwegian campaign. She was attacked by German aircraft and struck aft setting off her depth charges. Casualties were suffered and were buried at sea. The ship was towed back to Lerwick in the Shetlands for repairs. Later in the War she sank one U-334 and assisted in the destruction of three more.