Robert Bickerton Grant DFC was born at Ottawa (Stittsville) Ontario, son of Mr. and Mrs. Bert Grant and grandson of the Honorable R. H. Grant. He was educated at Nepean High School and at Queen’s University Kingston, Ontario.

On 25 May 1942 he enlisted in the RCAF in Ottawa. On 11 June 1943, Grant graduated as a navigator from No. 9 Service Flying Training School at Summerside, Prince Edward Island. His next assignment was Coastal Command Training with the Royal Air Force at Debert Nova Scotia.

In December 1943 Grant proceeded overseas and was posted to No. 100 Squadron, Bomber Command, where he flew Halifax bombers.

By mid April 1945, Flight Lieutenant Robert Grant had successfully completed a tour of many dangerous and death defying missions over enemy territory against heavily defended targets such as Essen, Cologne, Magdeberg, Stuttgart and Kiel and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC).

Grant was repatriated to Ottawa Canada in April 1945 where he was met by his mother and brothers Hap and Basil Grant.