For posterity, I never found a way to do this, and ultimately threw out the RadGrid entirely and implemented the required layout with a repeater control that emits a table and rows, and I just emit an extra row for the header when necessary. I remain baffled that something so relatively straightforward does not appear to be possible with the RadGrid.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.