Group captain Gledhill

Hello, sorry to intrude on this discussion but I’d like to contact Jane – I have some information about Gp Capt Gledhill’s service at Christmas Island.

Hopefully Jane you will have a notification of a comment on this thread. If you’d like to get in touch with me, you can do so via my website www.susieboniface.com where there is a contact form. Look forward to hearing from you!

Susie Boniface

This is a belated reply for Jane, I have only just joined the forum.

I was a co-pilot on 10 squadron in the 1960s when Wg Cdr T C Gledhill was CO

I am a member of the 10 Squadron Association and a colleague is writing biographies of Squadron COs.

I can put you in touch or alternatively I would be happy to receive any information about your father which you would be happy to be included in a biography.

I remember him as a very able and personable Squadron Commander.

With kind regards and best wishes.

Jane, just want to correct your comment above.  XV Sqn was a Victor Mk 1 Sqn at RAF Cottesmore.  Your father, was station commander at Finningley from July 1967 immediately after the Mk 1 Vulcan was retired.  It was then the Mk 2 OCU.

I remember going there at that time though can’t remember why.  What I can say though is he was known as Top Cat and rather than drive around grandly in his staff car, he acquired a station bicycle and rode that, complete with pennant, around the station. 

Finningley was a very compact station as the airmens’ accommodation was the other side of a public road.  It was only a few hundred yards from SHQ to the Mess, to Ops or to the hangars.

Thank you Jane for your reply and sorry for the delay in responding I have been away from the forum for quite a while. The helmet was bought at Newark aero jumble in 2018, it is only when I got it home I noticed the names in it. It postdates operation grapple so is one from later in your father’s career. It is great to have a bit of the history behind it which I shall keep with it, and nice to know that I have a bit of Victor/Vulcan used kit. All the best Jdh

Group Captain Terry Gledhill was my late father and this helmet belonged to him. I’m not sure how you came across it JDH1976 as I don’t recall giving it away. Latterly he commanded RAF Finningley where the Vulcans 15 Squadron was based, but he was ‘Sniff Boss’ and commanded 76 Squadron during the nuclear trials around Christmas Island in 1957/8, specifically Grapple X. He received overdoses of radiation, but did live a long life and only died a few years ago. No he is not related to David Gledhill, but I have all his flying logs and they make fascinating reading. We were and are very proud of him! I’m glad you have the helmet now. Best wishes.

Just wondering whether he might be related to David Gledhill; ex-Phantom & Tornado navigator & aviation author?

David is often associated with the Phantom XV490 cockpit on loan at Newark & is a regular at Cockpit-Fest (I don’t think that he attended the Aeroboot last weekend).

Thank you both, that gives me a starting point. What I like about collecting is the ability to take you in unexpected directions. I have never read much about operation grapple, the above post was most interesting.

He took part in Operation Grapple too, see: https://nuclearhistory.wordpress.com/2010/10/18/fallout-factors-british-nuke-tests-in-australia/

Wing Commander T.C. Gledhill was O.C. 10 Sqn at Raf Cottesmore from Jan 62 to Mar 64 when I was there. Flew the HP Victor B1