Teenage Washington soldier remembered 50 years on from death in Cyprus

A young soldier from Washington has been honoured on the 50th anniversary of his death.

Guardsman Graeme Lawson was 17 years old when he became the first UN soldier to be killed on the Island.

Guardsman Lawson, from Barmston, enlisted in the army when he was just 16. His first posting was to Cyprus and he died four weeks after he arrived.

Captain Philip Brazier was tasked by the UN to uncover the stories of the 183 soldiers who have died during the peace keeping mission.

He told ITV Tyne Tees: "He was only 17-and-a-half, he was too young to go to Northern Ireland, so was sent with his battalion to Cyprus.

"Unfortunately was killed shortly after the Turkish invasion, as the Coldstream Guards in UN service were carrying out a collection of weapons from Turkish home defence forces and one of the weapons unfortunately discharged and killed him."

Guardsman Lawson was engaged to be married and left behind his fiancé, parents, brothers and sisters.

A memorial service was held to mark the 50th anniversary of his death.

Family members, representatives of the Coldstream Guards and others gathered at his grave. A piper played the Last Post and a minute silence was held.

Douglas Melton, Guardsman Lawson's uncle, said: "The family felt that the Army had just forgotten him but now this has sort of repaired all that."

Washington History Society helped with the search to uncover Guardsman Lawson's story and is now hoping his name will be added to the town's War Memorial.

Ged Parker, chair of Washington History Society, said: "We'd like to see that his name appears, by Remembrance Sunday, so that the ceremony on that day will bring the attention to this forgotten incident.

"We are gratified that the people of Washington are now aware of the loss of such a young man in very, very sad circumstances."

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