| John William Boldero Grigson DSO DFC** | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 26, 1893 |
| Died | July 3, 1943 (aged 50) |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal Naval Air Service Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1913–1943 |
| Rank | Air Commodore |
| Unit | No. 55 Squadron RAF |
| Commands held |
No. 55 Squadron RAF No 2 (Indian Wing) Station, Risalpur RAF forces in Palestine and Trans-Jordan RAF forces in Greece Rhodesian Air Training Group |
| Battles/wars |
First World War Second World War |
| Awards |
Distinguished Service Order Distinguished Flying Cross & Two Bars |
| Relations | Geoffrey Grigson, Kenneth Grigson and Wilfrid Grigson |
Air Commodore John William Boldero Grigson DSO DFC** (26 January 1893–3 July 1943) was a British pilot in the Royal Air Force.
Life[]
Grigson was born in 1893 in the Vicarage at Pelynt to Canon William Shuckforth Grigson and Mary Beatrice Boldero, and was one of seven brothers, including Geoffrey Grigson, Kenneth Grigson[1] and Wilfrid Grigson.[2] John was educated at Leatherhead (along with his brothers) before joining the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve as an Ordinary Seaman in February 1913.[2] In 1916 he joined the Royal Naval Air Service as a commissioned officer, and he was posted to HMS Ark Royal, Britain's first aircraft carrier, in August 1917.[2] On 1 August 1919 he was offered a permanent commission, with the rank of Captain. From 1920 he commanded a flight of Airco DH.9s belonging to No. 55 Squadron RAF in Egypt.[2] Grigson was a highly decorated officer - he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in September 1918 (along with Oswald Gayford, whom he flew with for nearly a year),[3] a bar in December 1919 and a second bar on 28 October 1921. In 1920 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.[2]
Grigson became the commanding officer for No. 55 Squadron RAF in 1929, No. 2 (Indian Wing) Station, Risalpur, in 1935, RAF forces in Palestine and Trans-Jordan in 1940 and RAF forces in Greece on 23 April 1941.[2] He served as Officer Commanding for the Rhodesian Air Training Group in 1943 before his death in a flying accident on 3 July 1943, at the age of 50.[2] His grave is in Harare (Pioneer) Cemetery, Zimbabwe.[4] He was the husband of Mary Isabel Grigson, of Ottershaw, Chertsey, Surrey.[4]
References[]
- ↑ Grigson, Kenneth Walton, died 20 July 1918, aged 23. Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "One Family's Sacrifice - The Story of the Seven Sons of Canon and Mrs William Shuckforth Grigson". The Keep Military Museum. http://www.keepmilitarymuseum.org/grigson_family.php?&dx=2&ob=3&rpn=ww1. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
- ↑ "Oswald Gayford - Hadleigh's World Record Breaker". Hadleigh. http://www.hadleigh.org.uk/content/gayford.htm. Retrieved 2009-05-06.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Casualty details - Grigson, John William Boldero, CWGC.
The original article can be found at John Grigson and the edit history here.