Thomas Percy Gleave

November 23, 2016

Admitted to: Orpington Hospital.		Date of Injury: 31/08/1940
D.O.B/Age when admitted: 06/09/1908 (32)		Cause of Incident: Enemy Action. Shot down.
Transferred to QVH: 29/10/1940		Injuries: Burns to face, hands and legs.
No. of Operations at East Grinstead: 8

IDENTITY CARD

This is to certify that the patient mentioned below and whose description is stated hereon is the authorised holder of this Identity card.

Forename: Thomas Percy			Surname: Gleave
Service No: 29137			Nationality: British

Awards/Honours: CBE			Patient Unit: 253 Sqn
Profession: Pilot			Patient Rank: Sqn Ldr/Group Captain.

Death: 12/06/1993			Age at Death: 84yrs
Dr Rank:			Dr Unit:

Notes:

Also a member of the Caterpillar Club, for those whose lives were saved by parachutes after bailing from a disabled plane.

Gleave's Hurricane was found in a Kent wood in 1967.

Gleave was one of the founder members and took on the role of Chief Guinea Pig until his death in 1993.

Glossary:

Further Reading:

The Guinea Pig Club' By Edward Bishop.
'McIndoe's Army' By Edward Bishop.
'I Had a Row With a German' By Tom Gleave.
'McIndoe's Army' By Peter Williams and Ted Harrison.
'Fighter Boys' by Patrick Bishop.
'Hurricane and Spitfire Pilots at War' by Terence Kelly, p. 163.
'Who's Who in the Guinea Pig Club', The Guinea Pig, April 1949, p. 36.
'A Guinea Pig is Made', The Guinea Pig, August 1949, pp. 9-13.
'The P.3115 Club', Tom Gleave, The Guinea Pig, Christmas 1970, pp. 11-2.
'Guinea Pigs on Parade', The Guinea Pig, New Year 1975, p. 34.
'Another 50th Anniversary', The Guiena Pig, New Year 1991, pp. 10-1.
'Guinea Pigs on Parade', The Guinea Pig, July 1991, p. 37.
'Group Captain Tom Gleave, CBE, 6th September 1908 - 12th June 1993', Jim Sandeman-Allen, The Guinea Pig, New Year 1994, pp. 4-5.
This is Your Life, 09/01/1991.
"Men of The Battle of Britain" Kenneth Wynn

References:

East Grinstead Museum Collection:
EGRTM 2439.19 + .21 - photographs of Gleave and local officials at a civic ball
EGRTM 2773.312 - photograph of the founders of the Guinea Pig Club, including Gleave, 1941.
EGRTM 2842.40 - Standing with Mayor of East Grinstead.
EGRTM 2849.13 - At presentation of portrait of A.McIndoe.
EGRTM 2849.14 - " " " "
EGRTM 2849.15 - Another photograph of the portrait presentation, as listed above.
EGRTM 2849.34 - Presenting badge of honour to prince Phillip.
EGRTM 2842.133 Group photograph, first on left.
EGRTM 2842.30 Reunion dinner 5th from left.
EGRTM 2685 - a number of photographs of Gleave and Prince Philip at a Reunion Weekend.
EGRTM 2793.141 - photograph of McIndoe and a large number of Guinea Pigs being filmed by the BBC.
EGRTM 6548.3 - Programme for Gleave's memorial service, 1993.
EGRTM 6560 - collection of Gleave's correspondence relating to the running of the Guinea Pig Club.
EGRTM 6599.3.2 - letter to Gleave from 10 Downing Street, following Henry Standen's death, 1983.
EGRTM 6599.3.16 - copy of the script of Gleave's episode of This Is Your Life, 1990.