Washington soldier's death in Cyprus to be marked 50 years on

The ceremony will be held at Washington Cemetery, beside Holy Trinity Church in Washington Village, at 11.30pm on Sunday, July 21.

It will be attended by representatives of the Coldstream Guards, Washington Royal British Legion, Washington History Group and the the church.

On July 21, 1974, no. 24263443 Guardsman Graham Lawson, Second Battalion Coldstream Guards, became the first soldier to be killed while serving with the UN in Cyprus during the intervention on the island.

Turkish forces had invaded the island a day earlier. A ceasefire line was established from August 1974, which became the United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus - the "Green Line" - which is still in place today.

According a newspaper report published after his death, Graeme broke with tradition by insisting that his mother, Mrs Margaret Lawson, saw him off from Newcastle Central Station from what would prove to be his final leave.

Mrs Lawson was quoted in the report saying: "Normally he would just leave the house by himself and and shout 'Goodbye Mum'. But this time when the taxi arrived he insisted I went with him.

"I didn't want to go because I wasn't dressed for it, but he insisted. On the platform, he hugged me and said 'I've really enjoyed this leave Mum'.

"That was the last I saw of him."

The soldier was also about to become engaged to a Washington girl, Joyce Yates.

He was killed somewhere around the city of Limassol. He was unloading a weapon which had been surrendered by a Turkish Cypriot, when it exploded.

Graeme was buried in Washington on August 1, 1974, leaving behind behind his parents and brothers and sisters. His brother Trevor was also in the Army and the family home was on Waskerley Road in Barmston.

Immediately after this month’s ceremony attendees are invited to meet at the nearby Cross Keys pub.

Anyone who would like to attend, find out more, or can offer more information, should contact Ged Parker at [email protected] or call him on 07736 010203.