Ian Richard Gleed

Wing Commander Ian Richard ‘Widge’ Gleed DSO DFC was born in 1916 and became one of the RAF’s best-known fighter leaders, credited with around thirteen victories. He fought in the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain, led a Spitfire wing, and in 1942 published a memoir of his flying life, Arise to Conquer. Posted to the Mediterranean in 1943, he took command of No. 244 Wing in Tunisia — characteristically giving the newest Spitfires to his less experienced pilots while flying an older mark himself. On 16 April 1943, leading a sweep over the Cap Bon peninsula to cut off the Axis evacuation of Tunisia, he was shot down and killed. He is buried in the Enfidaville War Cemetery.