23 Facts About Ian Gleed

Ian Gleed served in the Battle of France and Battle of Britain before being shot down and killed over Tunisia.

Ian Gleed was born in Finchley, north London on 3 July 1916 to Seymour Richard and Florence Hair Ian Gleed.

Ian Gleed studied at Epsom College and was an avid sailor.

Ian Gleed told friends that after the war, he planned to buy a sailboat and sail to the South Seas.

Ian Gleed completed training on Christmas Day 1936 and was posted to 46 Squadron, flying the Gloster Gauntlet II, a biplane fighter.

Ian Gleed was promoted to flying officer on 9 October 1938.

Ian Gleed was injured while falling out of the plane but regained consciousness soon enough to pull his parachute.

Ian Gleed regained his full flying status on 14 May 1940, when he was posted to 87 Squadron, a Hurricane squadron.

At one point, converting to Spitfires was considered but abandoned after Beamont and Ian Gleed were able to easily defeat a Spitfire pilot in a dogfight with their Hurricanes.

In December 1940, Ian Gleed was promoted to squadron leader and took command of 87 Squadron at RAF Charmy Down.

Ian Gleed wrote the foreword to Gleed's memoir, Arise to Conquer.

Ian Gleed was posted to RAF Bentley Priory, HQ Fighter Command, where he was Wing Commander Tactics and subsequently Wing Commander Operations.

However, Ian Gleed was not content sitting behind a desk and arranged to be posted to an operational command in the Middle East, a more active theater following the Torch landings.

Ian Gleed was likely shot down by the high-scoring Luftwaffe ace Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert.

Reinert had claimed a P-51 Mustang, but it is believed that he misidentified Ian Gleed's clipped-wing Spitfire Vb.

Ian Gleed's loss caused the Allies to abandon small-scale fighter sweeps.

The publisher of Gleed's memoir was concerned about his "confirmed bachelor" status and encouraged Gleed to invent a fictional fiancee, named Pam.

Ian Gleed said that he had had a homosexual relationship with Gleed while they were stationed at RAF Middle Wallop in 1942.

The relationship ended when Ian Gleed was posted to RAF Bentley Priory and then to the Middle East.

Ian Gleed's Distinguished Flying Cross was gazetted on 13 September 1940 without a citation.

Ian Gleed has always displayed a fine fighting spirit which, combined with his masterly leadership and keenness, has set an inspiring example.

Wing Commander Ian Gleed has destroyed at least 12 enemy aircraft, 2 of which he shot down at night.

Ian Gleed was interred at Tazoghrane, but reburied at the military cemetery in Enfidaville.