William was educated at Longmanhill Public School, Banff, then became a Brakeman (railway). He enlisted in the R.A.M.C. (T.F.) on 14th September 1914, and was embodied into the 89th (1/1st Highland) Field Ambulance. He was 23 years and 4 months old at the time. He left England for the Dardanelles on 15th March 1915 and served in Gallipoli from the 25th April. On 27th August he was appointed acting Lance Corporal, with pay, and then promoted to Lance Corporal on 14th March 1916. On 16th March he embarked at Egypt and proceeded to France to serve on the Western Front, disembarking at Marseille on the 27th. On 8th December 1917, he was appointed acting Corporal (paid), and then acting Lance Serjeant on the 12th the same month. He was killed in front of the village of Doulieu, near Neuf Berquin, behind Estaires, and was buried where he fell. His Commanding Officer wrote: “He was without doubt, the most popular man in the unit, and in losing him we mourn a truly brave, highly conscientious and exceedingly skilled man, who was never tired of doing good actions, and who in the field was a veritable lion in fearlessness and in courage. When he got a thing to do I could always reckon on its being done and absolutely fulfilled, and even in the moment of his death he was nobly carrying out his duty. His memory will be long and sweetly cherished by all his comrades, with whom he has been so long, and to whom he has been looked up as an example in everything.” William was the eldest son of David and Janet (daughter of George Davidson) Grieve of Bonnyton, Camrie, co Banff, Crofter; and the husband of Isabella (daughter of James Knox) of 5 Rosemount Place, Aberdeen - married at Aberdeen on 22nd February 1917.