We observed the behaviour of graphite after heating by an X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) beam at an intensity on the order of 10^19 W/cm2. The interplanar diffraction peaks weaken significantly within 10s of femtoseconds, but in-plane diffraction orders i.e. those with Miller Index (hk0), persist up to 300 fs, with the observed signal increasing. We interpret this as nonthermal damage through the breaking of interplanar bonds, which at longer timescales leads to ablation by removal of intact graphite sheets, rather than by melting. Recommended citation: N. J. Hartley et al. HEDP 32 (2019) 63-69. 