Brought up in Fyvie in Aberdeenshire[1] and educated at St Paul's School in London and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, Graham was commissioned into the Gordon Highlanders in 1956.

[2] Graham was made commanding officer of 1st Battalion, the Gordon Highlanders 1976 and chief of staff at 3rd Armoured Division in 1978.

[2] He went on to command the Ulster Defence Regiment in 1982[2] and was mentioned in despatches for his services in Northern Ireland in 1984.

[4] He became deputy military secretary at the Ministry of Defence in 1985 and General Officer Commanding Eastern District in 1987.

[1] Graham was a supporter of a 'No' vote for the 2014 Scottish independence referendum and was listed as a speaker at the launch of the Better Together Buchan campaign group on 9 November 2013.