John William Boldero Grigson, DSO, DFC

[RFT]

Capt John William Boldero Grigson, DSO, DFC, RAF, (later Air Commodore)

Granted commission, (Captain) in the RAF, August 1919.

I believe he was awarded the DSO in 1920 for service in South Russia.

He was taken on Strength of 47 Squadron, RAF, South Russia, 21st August 1919. Also served in Petrovsk late August 1919 to September 1919.

Would like to know more about his early RAF career and his time in South Russia?

A photograph of Capt Grigson would be a real bonus.

Can anyone help?

Thanks

Rob

[MBrockway]

An interesting article about the younger brother of the above crossed my path yesterday from the newsletter of New College, Oxford.

A Mathematics Prize has been set up as a Memorial to 2/Lt Lionel Henry Shuckworth GRIGSON, Devonshire Regt, who was Killed in Action at FRESNOY on 09 May 1917.

He had won a Maths Scholarship at New College, but had not taken up his place, volunteering for military service instead.

© New College, Oxford

Lionel was part of a remarkable family. See here: http://www.keepmilitarymuseum.org/grigson_family.php, which includes this about your chap ...

Quote

The eldest son, John William Boldero Grigson, was born on 26 January 1893 and enlisted as a Ordinary Seaman in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in February 1913. Career progression was swift: he was commissioned into the fledgling Royal Naval Air Service in 1916, was posted to the seaplane carrier HMS Ark Royal in August 1917 and, on 1 August 1919, was awarded a permanent commission as a Captain. By the beginning of the following year he was commanding a flight of DH9s and DH9As of 55 Squadron in Egypt. John Grigson saw much service and was highly decorated: he was awarded the DFC in September 1918, a first bar in December 1919 and a second bar on 28 October 1921 'for services in Mesopotamia' - he was only the fifth person to be awarded a second bar to the DFC since the award was instituted on 3 June 1918. He saw action in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Caspian, Eqypt and Iraq. In 1920 John Grigson was awarded the DSO 'for gallant and distinguished service' in Southern Russia.

He continued to climb the Royal Air Force promotion ladder: Officer Commanding, 55 Squadron in 1929; Officer Commanding, No 2 (Indian Wing) Station, Risalpur in 1935; and Air Officer Commanding, Palestine and Trans-Jordan in 1940. On 23 April 1941 John Grigson assumed command of the British Air Forces in Greece: Geoffrey paints a vivid picture of him 'standing on a ruined aerodrome in a pair of shorts, cursing at the attacking German aircraft, and firing at them as they skimmed over, with rifles which an aircraftsman loaded and reloaded for him'. By 1943 John Grigson was Acting Air Officer Commanding, Rhodesian Training Group, under the auspices of which organisation many of the young RAF pilots of the future first took to the air. It was a terrible irony that such a brave man was killed in a flying accident near Bulawayo on Saturday 3 July 1943 and now lies buried in the Pioneer Cemetery in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe). The announcement in The Times includes the anguished appeal: 'Please, no letters.'

 

... and there is a family group photo linked to that article here: http://www.keepmilitarymuseum.org/gallery.php?&id=111597&sid=28b1cf777dda08ddc2be0da832c41c69&frompage=%2Fgrigson_family.php%3F%26dx%3D1%26ob%3D3%26rpn%3Dgrigson_family%26sid%3D28b1cf777dda08ddc2be0da832c41c69

 

Difficult to identify John William Boldero Grigson positively though. He was the eldest son, so probably one of the two taller lads at the back.

 

[UPDATE June 2020: this website has been "redeveloped" and they've ditched the gallery feature where this photo was located.  I have hunted through the archives, but the best I can come up with is the thumbnail that was embedded in the original article.  I could not find the full image anywhere ...

 

The thumbnail version:

 

and a zoomed-in version:

Apologies   ]

 

Mark

Edited 4 June , 2020 by MBrockway
Reinstated lost link to my image from New College News. Attempted fix for lost link to The Keep Museum image.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

I believe he was awarded the DSO in 1920 for service in South Russia.

Rob

Rob,

Yes, Flight Lieut. J. W. B. Grigson was awarded the D.S.O. for gallantry and distinguished services in South Russia, and here are his entries from both the D.S.O. Recipient's Book and the London Gazette.

D.S.O. Recipient's Book :

GRIGSON, J. W. B. ( D.S.O. London Gazette 12.7.1920 ), Flight. Lieut., R.A.F. ; D.F.C. D.S.O.awarded for services in South Russia.

London Gazette :

London Gazette, 12 July 1920 - Air Ministry, Kingsway, London, W.C.2. 12 July 1920.

His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve of the undermentioned rewards for gallantry and distinguished services.

ROYAL AIR FORCE

Awarded the Distinguished Service Order .................................

GRIGSON, John William Boldero, Flight Lieut., D.F.C. ( South Russia )

Regards,

LF

[richard_grigson]

My grandfather, known in the family as Jack, is the young man seated next to his mother. His younger brother Lionel, in whose name we have endowed the maths prize, is the chap on the extreme right. Only Geoffrey, the youngest boy at the front, made it much past WW2, becoming a poet and critic.

I have another picture of Jack in uniform which you might find interesting

Richard Grigson

[Lancashire Fusilier]

My grandfather, known in the family as Jack, is the young man seated next to his mother. His younger brother Lionel, in whose name we have endowed the maths prize, is the chap on the extreme right. Only Geoffrey, the youngest boy at the front, made it much past WW2, becoming a poet and critic.

I have another picture of Jack in uniform which you might find interesting

Richard Grigson

Richard,

An excellent photo portrait, and was you family fortunate enough to retain your Grandfather's superb medal group, his uniform or sword ?

Regards,

LF

[richard_grigson]

My father and uncle have the medals and miniatures between them. I'm not sure about the sword.

Regards

Richard Grigson

[Lancashire Fusilier]

My father and uncle have the medals and miniatures between them. I'm not sure about the sword.

Great family keepsakes, and so nice that the family still have them.

Regards,

LF

[RFT]

The first time I've logged in for some considerable time! It was also a shock to see that 5 1/2 years has passed by since my original post!

Thanks particularly to Mark for notifying me and to everyone else for their contribution, not least Richard Grigson.

Capt Grigson was one of about 100 officers listed with 47 Squadron in South Russia 1919/1920. Several years ago I made efforts to record as much as I could find on the officers and men of 47 "A" squadron and which resulted in the rather extensive archive I hold today.

Capt Grigson, to say the least, led a distinguished career in the RAF and the last record I have of him relates to the award conferred on "Air Comdr. J W B Grigson DSO, DFC" by HM the king of the Hellenes - Royal Order of George I (with Swords) - Commander.

In 1930, Squadron-Leader Grigson was among those presented to HM the King at Buckingham Palace (as Richard will undoubtedly know).

Thanks again to one and all.

Rob

[Rebecca Clarke]

It has been a long time since this thread was added to but I am wondering if anyone here has any information of J.W.B Grigson and his time spent as an internee in Norway.

[MBrockway]

I've attempted to restore the lost image links in my post higher up ... with partial success 

Mark

 

[Rebecca Clarke]

Thanks for trying, Mark.  I’m very interested to know anything about his time in Norway as all of the records I can find say that he escaped the camp in May of 1916......he escaped with another survivor of the shipwreck called Charles Clinton.