William was with the 1^st Light Horse Regiment and Colin was with the 56^th battalion of A company.  They were both killed in action in August 1916.  Their mother had died in childbirth, and their father was heart-broken when they were killed.

Last November, we spoke to their nephew, Graham Andrews, who keeps their memory alive.

He said his grandfather, Duncan Graham got the tragic news about his sons, Bill and Colin in the same week, when the postman came with the dreaded telegrams, as he worked in the fields on the family farm at Koree Island near Beechwood.

“When the second telegram came, he said: ‘Oh no.  Not Col too.’  It’s so pathetic.  People don’t know these things,” he said.

William had written to his father from Egypt saying it was a lot different seeing the desert to seeing the lovely fields around Koree Island.

Colin, who was 22, got killed when he went out into battle and brought back a wounded mate, and then a second one.  The third time he went out to bring someone back he got wounded very badly and died.

In a letter to the family, Captain Fred Fanning wrote that Trooper Colin Graham was “a smart, cool, promising soldier, and he would, in my opinion, have risen much higher’.

“It may be gratifying to you to know that your brother was one of four men selected to represent this brigade at a review in Paris, a short time prior to his death.  He was buried with full military honours.  The Presbyterian chaplain officiated,” the commanding officer wrote.

A comrade of Colin’s, Private S.S. Alcock wrote to Colin’s father to express his sorrow.

“Needless to say, he was one of the finest boys in the land.  Big, good-natured and humorous, he was well-liked throughout the company. 

“I was there when he was hit and am glad to be able to assure you that Colin died painlessly – death was instantaneous.  May I, as his mate, beg to offer my poor condolences to his family in their great grief,” he wrote.

After 24-year-old William was killed in action helping a wounded colleague at Romani in Egypt, his father received a letter from Trooper Robert Laurie, who came from Mount Seaview.

“Dear Mr Graham, I am just writing these few lines to tell you that your brave son, William was killed in action on August the 4^th.

“I can assure you from what little information I gathered, he died as he lived, a grave and fearless man, and we all regret his death very much, because he was a general favourite with all that had the pleasure of coming in contact with him.

“One of my mates told me that he and your son were burying in the wounded when he was killed.  Please accept my deepest sympathy in your great loss of your dearly beloved son who died fighting for king and country.”

He was buried at Kantara War Memorial Cemetery in the Suez Canal zone.  Both brothers received the Victory Medal.