october july senior officer australian_army seeing service second world war vietnam war born graduated graham subsequently held series regimental staff appointments serving number infantry armoured units second world war post war period served japan held number staff command positions late 1950s posted later served director military intelligence commanding 1st fighting responsible establishing controversial barrier minefield coast later graham filled range senior command staff diplomatic roles australia overseas including position deputy chief general staff retiring died early life graham born new_south_wales october educated highly intelligent school achieved high position leaving certificate joining australian_army january age graduated august following outbreak second world war subsequently allocated regular officer rank lieutenant graham excelled academically known unorthodox innovative tactical solutions military problems graduating class received kings medal achievements shortly commissioning married canberra august couple later sons stuart born ray born military career second world war graham subsequently held series regimental staff appointments serving number infantry armoured units overseas service transferred 2nd july subsequently posted 11th armoured car regiment adjutant followed attendance promoted captain september graham briefly served headquarters attached british_army serving british saw action north_africa italy coming ashore day allied landing wounded remained duty period gained valuable operational experience armoured warfare service north_africa shaped thinking use tactical minefields extensively mobile infantry armoured battles returning australia february following short period staff positions graham spent remainder war south west pacific infantry december given command company 24th battalion went distinguish campaign action morning april graham command encountered heavy resistance thick jungle attacking strong japanese positions personally leading attack placed number anti tank guns cover river crossing following heavy fighting australians finally secured late afternoon allowed bridge erected creek tanks forward support japanese counter attack overnight following morning graham led company forward succeeded seizing high ground day bitter fighting resulted heavy japanese casualties immediately awarded leadership graham later wounded amid heavy fighting difficult terrain australian advance continued road promoted temporary major october finished war posted 4th armoured regiment post war period following war graham served staff positions based new_south_wales posted japan headquarters promoted lieutenant colonel later briefly commanded australian regiment november january graham attached subsequently posted tactics instructor later completed training united_kingdom germany considered australia foremost tank experts graham commanded 1st armoured regiment subsequently served commandant filled position director armour period later wrote influential paper successful use armour jungle warfare ability reduce casualties infantry graham attended subsequently filled role washington intelligence officer exposure military culture intelligence period affected military thinking influential later service graham subsequently posted canberra plans promoted colonel served director military intelligence australian_army developing doctrine counter revolutionary warfare graham ideas counter influenced visit november graham understanding challenges prevailing cold war environment allowed reform australia nascent military intelligence apparatus encouraging developments joint intelligence arrangements australia allies liaison british counterparts establishing relationships countries recognition service australian staff corps appointed officer order british empire took appointment commandant prepared deployment time army officers learning new tactics techniques procedures promoted brigadier commanded 6th task force southern queensland supervising training battalions later serve command vietnam graham studied london vietnam war january graham appointed commander 1st based taking brigadier according official historians australian involvement vietnam war graham quickly established developed sound operational concept succeeded preventing implementing intended battalions ability generate combat power severely limited location isolated main population centres increased burden self protection february sustained heaviest casualties war point losing men killed wounded single week majority clashed companies reinforced north vietnamese regulars north west february graham losses need infantry battalion tanks australian government unable provide additional military resources time confirmed mind need establish physical barrier deny freedom movement graham subsequently established kilometre long barrier minefield coast operation march june attempt regain initiative largely forced graham inadequate forces available inherent contradictions australian strategic policy decision contrary advice senior task force engineer major number senior infantry officers resisted idea including graham battalion commanders lieutenant colonel commanding officer served korean war australians suffered large number casualties mines originally laid forces unlike colleagues officer graham served korea assumptions developed warfare north_africa remained months barrier minefield resulted dramatic decline reducing supply movement percent recognising threat obstacle posed immediately begun attempting penetrate cutting gaps fence clearing lanes minefield restore flow supplies lifting mines use conceived hinder movement jungle bases villages relied supplies failure south vietnamese forces protect barrier minefield ultimately allowed remove thousands mines subsequently keeping australian counter doctrine graham strategy ultimately proved controversial costly despite initial success minefield source munitions later decision remove amid growing casualties flaws immediately obvious second half province melted away abandoning bunker systems avoiding main roads towns weakened communist forces province operations restricted movement logistics prompted graham speculate fled border leaving province altogether reasoned succession operations south east province completion barrier minefield meant single sizable threat remained populated areas despite allegations corruption ballot rigging ruling military presidential elections september security concerns largely considered successful percent eligible voters turning nationwide number higher percent graham believed large public turnout long term effects australian operations province increased population sense security tour duty task force conducted operations handed command october later awarded senior command returning australia graham subsequently appointed chief staff december large percentage australian casualties vietnam caused mines including significant quantities anti personnel devices removed barrier minefield total australian casualties mines later estimated killed wounded figure constituted approximately percent killed war losses increasingly political issue support war australia waned decision later criticised military media controversy surrounding minefield grew february graham promoted major general appointed deputy chief general staff member positions held visiting respected journalist concluded original concept laying minefield sound ultimately greatest australian mistakes war august work begun remove minefield graham forced publicly defend decision questions raised knowledge approval decision tactical commander number senior army officers including commander vietnam major general chief general staff lieutenant general chairman general construction graham second daily running australian_army time graham unsuccessfully sought retention national service following eventual australian withdrawal vietnam arguing necessary expand later managed draw australian forces vietnam played leading role shaping post war army graham appointed general officer commanding later commander 1st division subsequently filled position head australian defence staff london period graham officer queen birthday honours retired march later life later life graham wife settled queensland involved community activities fundraising enjoyed swimming fishing involved work help blind died home july survived widow sons despite debate surrounding laying barrier minefield later described graham clever imaginative commander widely regarded having best minds army broad knowledge fair approach earned respect subordinates death graham remained controversial figure book minefield published author army officer argued decision establish minefield reckless product failure understand prevailing nature ended strategic disaster argued decision ultimately cost graham position seen likely candidate replace went describe graham ambitious career driven talented man rose position importance personal flaws
Stuart Clarence Graham