Our dear friend Angela Graham died suddenly and was taken from us far too soon. Angie was a remarkable woman who dedicated her life to the military, serving in the Royal Navy; British Army, and Royal Air Force, and reaching the rank of Group Captain. There won’t be many women that achieved the rank and the diversity of employments she did.

At 17 Angie entered naval rating training and joined the Senior Service (as she would remind everyone) as a Naval Writer. Sport and adventure training were always her first love and so she attended and became an official “Club Swinger” on the RN Physical Trainers (PT) course number 29 in 1990.

Four years later, with the rank of Leading Wren PT, Angela was selected to attend The University of Wales School of Physiotherapy by the Royal Navy and would graduate and attend Dartmouth for Officer Training.

Halfway  through the course, MOD decided that the Army would take the lead on Physio’s and therefore Angela would be joining the Army if she wished to be a physio. In 1997 she graduated and attended Sandhurst to be commissioned into the rank of Captain. Jobs at Frimley Hospital, Northern Ireland, Headley Court, Gibraltar, Army Rugby and Sellyoak amongst others followed, along with promotion to Major.

Angela worked as RAF Lead Physio which lead to promotion to Wing Commander and the challenge of building a new physio cadre within the RAF. An Operational Tour to Mali, followed by an Embassy job in Dubai, promotion to Group Captain and an Ukraine posting which her fight against cancer ultimately cut short, before she finally decided to retire recently.

Angela’s love of sports and adventure saw her take to sailing, tandem skydives, mountain climbing, skiing and more recently yoga, where she was due to do an instructor’s course in September. 

Devastatingly, Angie’s life was cut short by an unsuccessful operation that we thought was ‘routine’.

At Headley Court, Angie was appointed into a Command role as Officer Commanding Rehabilitation Division. She worked tirelessly to lead the rehabilitation of the most complex inured service personnel across Defence. It is with this in mind, that this page has been set up, to honour her memory and support a good cause very close to her heart. 

The Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre’. Moved from Headley Court to Stanford Hall in 2018. It has a ‘Benevolent Fund’ that supports and enhances the rehabilitation of injured service personnel.

Angela had some career, some life, a jump of 13 ranks and 42 years military service. 

An amazing woman, sorely missed by all those that knew her. 

May she be resting in peace.