Date of birth:

January 29th, 1914 (Perth/Wester Australia. Australia)

Date of death:

August 13th, 1940

Service number:

39983

Nationality:

Australian

Richard Glyde applied to join the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) but was discharged as medically unfit due to a curved spine. Determined as he was he took therapy, sailed to England where he was granted a short service commission in to RAF.
He was posted to No. 87 Squadron which was send out to France as a part of the Advanced Air Striking Force early September 1939.
During a flight in October 1939 the Squadron Leader Coope, Glyde and Pilot Officer Dunn lost direction and had to land in Belgium. They were both interned first at the Headquarters of the Gendarmerie in Brussels, and then transferred to a mediaeval fortress outside Antwerp, where about 40 RAF personnel, namely bomber crew, were interned.
He managed to escape though, taking along his CO and another 87 Sqn pilot and returned to their squadron in France, in disguise after being hidden in various parts of Brussels.
On 13 August over the English Channel off Portland Bill he was hit by return fire from German Heinkel 111. Shortly after his squadron members noticed white vapour pouring from his Hurricane’s engine he vanished. It was presumed that he had crashed into the sea. No trace was ever found of him.

Promotions:
9 August, 1937: Acting Pilot Officer (probation)
24 May, 1938: Pilot Officer
24 November, 1939: Flying Officer

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• Photo 1: Tom MacNeill
• - SHORES, CH. & WILLIAMS, C., Aces High, Grub Street, London, 1994.
  - The London Gazette Issue 34429 published on the 24 August 1937
  - The London Gazette Issue 34742 published on the 28 November 1939
  - The London Gazette Issue 34864 published on the 4 June 1940
  - Australian War Memorial