Editing John Grierson (section)

=== World War I ===
In July 1915, Grierson left school with an overall subject mark of 82%; John had sat the bursary examination at Gilmorehill the month before, as his parents wanted him to follow his elder sisters, Janet and Agnes, in going to the [[University of Glasgow]].<ref name=":0" /> The results for the bursary examination were not posted until October 1915; Grierson applied to work at the munitions at [[Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire|Alexandria]]; the munitions building had been the original home of the Argyll Motor Company which had earlier in the twentieth century built the first complete motor car in Scotland.<ref name=":0" />

Grierson was the second name on the bursary list and received the John Clark bursary, which was tenable for four years.<ref name=":0" /> Grierson entered the University of Glasgow in 1916;<ref name=":1">{{cite web|title=University of Glasgow Story|url=http://www.universitystory.gla.ac.uk/biography/?id=WH2035&type=P&o=&start=0&max=20&l=|access-date=19 May 2014|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304131300/http://www.universitystory.gla.ac.uk/biography/?id=WH2035&type=P&o=&start=0&max=20&l=|url-status=dead}}</ref> however, he was unhappy that his efforts to help in [[World War I]] were only through his work at the munitions.<ref name=":0" /> Grierson wanted to join the navy; his family on his father's side had long been lighthouse keepers, and John had many memories of visiting lighthouses and being beside the sea.<ref name=":0" /> He went to the [[Crystal Palace Park|Crystal Palace]] in [[London]] to train with the [[Royal Naval Reserve|Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve]]. In his recruitment letter he had added a year to his age so that he could attend.<ref name=":0" />

On 7 January 1916, Grierson was sent to the wireless telegraphy station at [[Aultbea]], [[Cromarty]], as an ordinary [[telegraphist]] but was promoted to telegraphist on 2 June 1916.<ref name=":0" /> On 23 January 1917, he became a telegraphist on the [[minesweeper]] H.M.S ''Surf'' and served there until 13 October 1917. The next day he joined H.M.S ''Rightwhale'', where he was promoted to leading telegraphist on 2 June 1918 and remained on the vessel until he was demobilised<ref name=":0" /> with a [[British War Medal]] and the [[Victory Medal (United Kingdom)|Victory Medal]].<ref name=":0" />