Frederick William Leslie Gleed was born in Lambeth in 1867. He joined the 3rd Surrey Rifle Volunteers when he was in his teens and enlisted in the Norfolk Regiment at Great Yarmouth in April 1885 at the age of 18. He was promoted to corporal in June 1886 and lance-sergeant in November 1888. He served with the 1st Battalion in Burma in the Chin Hills Operations of 1892-93. He was awarded the India General Service medal when he was a Colour Sergeant. He was promoted to Sergeant-Major in February 1904 and discharged in April 1910. When King Edward VII presented new Colours to the 1st Battalion in June 1909, he directed that the CO, the two subalterns and the sergeant-major be presented to him. He decorated Lt-Col John Marriott with the 4th Class of the Victorian Order, Lieutenants Bagwell and Longfield with the 5th Class, and presented Sgt-Major Gleed with the Royal Victorian medal.
When WW1 broke out Sgt-Major Gleed was given a commission in the Norfolk Regiment and appointed Quartermaster. The photo shows him in officer’s khaki service dress with the rank of lieutenant. His war service was short as he was pensioned off on 17 November 1915, and died in October 1916 at the age of 47.
Regimental Details | Soldiers
