John was born in 1895, at Penallt, son of George and Eliza Gleed of Bannut Tree, Penallt. John Gleed joined 1st Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers enlisting at Monmouth town and became 11669 Private John Gleed. He entered the theatre of war on 23rd November 1914, and was killed in action 16th May 1915, aged 20. He was the first man to die in action from Penallt.
John served in France and Flanders. His medal entitlement was the British War Medal and British Victory Medal and the 1915 Star. As he has no known grave he is named on Le Touret Memorial.
See also the description within In Memoriam