John Malcolm Glaisher (1894-1945) 

Second World War Roll of Honour

John Malcolm Glaisher was born in the parish of St Clement Danes in London on 3 July 1894, the second son of Henry Cyril Glaisher, a publisher and bookseller, and Lizzie (née Dolman) Glaisher of "Greencroft", Park Place, Maze Hill, Greenwich, later of 12 Eliot Vale, Blackheath. He was educated at Colfe's Grammar School, Lewisham from 1906 to 1910. On leaving school he went to work for The General Electric Company in 1911 and the following year he studied electrical engineering at the British School of Telegraphy at Clapham in South London. He served in both World Wars.

Following the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, John enlisted in London on 29 August 1914 as Private Stk/408 in the 10th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) (Stockbrokers). He was promoted to Corporal and to Lance Sergeant on 19 October 1914 and embarked for service in France with his Battalion on 30 July 1915, landing at Boulogne the same day. He served in the Machine Gun Section and was promoted to Sergeant on 13 November 1915. While in France he applied for a commission on 9 March 1916 but was admitted to the 50th Field Ambulance on 10 April 1916 suffering from synopsis (ligament damage) of the knee. He returned to England on a Hospital Ship on 9 May of May 1916 and was admitted to the 2nd London General Hospital, Chelsea the following day for surgery. After his discharge on 22 August 1916, he was posted for officer training to No. 12 Officer Cadet Battalion at Newmarket on 18 September, where he was in C Company. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) on 19 December 1916 and was posted to the 5th (Reserve) Battalion of his Regiment in January 1917.

He transferred to the General List for the Royal Flying Corps on 17 July 1917 and, after pilot training, he was posted to 6 Squadron where he flew RE8 aircraft in a reconnaissance role. In May 1918, he and his Observer, Lieutenant Gordon Alexander King, took off for a bombing raid during which they were attacked by ten enemy fighters and shot down two of them before continuing on to complete their mission.

He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, announced in the London Gazette of 5 July 1918. The citation in the edition of 2 August read: - "Whilst proceeding on a bombing raid last month these officers were attacked from behind by ten enemy scouts. The observer, Lieut. King, opened fire on their leader, who went down, diving vertically, his machine emitting clouds of black smoke. After some minutes’ further fighting, the pilot Lieut. Glaisher, was able to fire a long burst at another of the enemy scouts, which fell, out of control, in the same plight as the first-mentioned. They then proceeded on their mission and dropped their bombs successfully. These officers have carried out work of high merit in reconnoitring enemy trenches from low altitudes regardless of personal risk, displaying a fine spirit of gallantry and determination."

Glaisher was promoted to Captain on 30 July 1918 and was appointed to the Royal Air Force rank of Flying Officer on 24 October 1919. He was granted a permanent commission in the Royal Air Force, with the rank of Flying Officer, on 16 May 1922 while serving at the Armament and Gunnery School at RAF Eastchurch.

John matriculated at Downing College in October 1922. He rowed for the College and was a member of the Boat Club awarded the Michell Cup in 1924 by the Cambridge University Boat Club for obtaining more points than any other college in University rowing events. John was married at St Martin in the Fields Church in 1923 to Nora Gladys Edith Leah Cleland. He graduated in June 1924, having been awarded three terms in recognition of military service during the war. He was promoted to Flight Lieutenant on 1 July 1925 and placed on the half pay list from 16 February to 9 March 1931 and again from 8 January to 1 June 1933. He was promoted to Squadron Leader on 1 October 1938 and to Wing Commander on 1 November 1938.

On the outbreak of the Second World War, John was the commanding officer at RAF Locking at Weston-Super-Mare. He was transferred to the Technical Branch of the Royal Air Force on 24 April 1940 and promoted to Group Captain in March 1941. On 19 October 1945, he boarded Liberator Mk III BZ928 of No. 144 Maintenance Unit at Maison Blanche airfield near Algiers as one of ten passengers for a flight home to England. The aircraft had been airborne for about 30 minutes when its port outer engine failed. The pilot turned back to the airfield but the aircraft stalled and crashed to the ground some 5 miles to the south of the airfield, killing all fifteen crew and passengers on board.   

Group Captain Glaisher was killed on active service on 19 October 1945, aged 51.

He is buried at Dely Ibrahim War Cemetery and also commemorated on the war memorials at Winscombe and at the Old Colfeians' Sports Club in Kidbrooke.

Sources

TNA – WW1 Officer file WO 339/71629

Image

Downing College Boat Club, winners of the Michell Cup, 1923-24 (Downing College Archive, DCPH/2/3/2/10 © Lafayette Photography Ltd). Glaisher is 2nd from right on the 2nd row from the back.