William Granville grew up in difficult circumstances, becoming an orphan during the Second World War after his mother was killed in 1940. Raised in care following periods of instability and truancy, he developed a strong sense of independence and resilience at an early age. Initially aspiring to join the Royal Navy, he failed the medical examination due to his height and subsequently enlisted in the British Army, a move he actively welcomed despite his youthful rebelliousness.

After basic training at Rhyl and further training at Larkhill, William joined the Royal Artillery, serving with the 18th Medium Regiment before being transferred to the 20th Field Regiment. He trained as a signaller, specialising in wireless and field telephone communications. This role involved laying and repairing long-distance communication cables under operational conditions, work he valued for the autonomy and responsibility it provided.

In 1951–52, he was posted to Hong Kong for nine months, where he completed extensive field training in the New Territories near the Chinese border. Later that year, his regiment was deployed to Korea, landing at Pusan before moving north to the Imjin River sector. William described Korea as undeveloped and harsh, with extreme winter conditions and limited protective clothing available to troops.

On the front line, he worked as a 24-hour on-call signaller, repeatedly repairing damaged communication lines under mortar fire, often at night and in exposed terrain, including minefields. He experienced direct combat, repeated mortar attacks, and close-quarters encounters with Chinese forces. He witnessed the deaths of close comrades during heavy fighting at positions including the Hook, events that left a lasting impact.

Despite these experiences, William emphasised duty, camaraderie, and emotional detachment as coping mechanisms. He was later awarded the Military Medal for his actions but regarded it as simply “doing the job.” After demobilisation, he returned to civilian life, carrying vivid memories of Korea while reflecting on the human cost of the conflict.