Ian Gleeson
South African general
About Ian Gleeson
Lived 1934 – 2021 (aged 86). Ian Gleeson was a South African.
Lieutenant General Ian Rimbault Gleeson (15 August 19347 June 2021) was a South African Army officer who served as Chief of the Defence Staff.
He graduated from the Military Academy after attending Christian Brothers College in Pretoria and joined the Army in 1954. He became Officer Commanding 2 South African Infantry Battalion in 1971 and in 1972 OC Walvis Bay military base,
The post-Apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission found that when Generals Jannie Geldenhuys and Gleeson were informed that the SADF and Security Branch had assassinated Dr Fabian Ribeiro and his wife Florence on 1 December 1986 they failed to pass this information onto the Attorney-General or the police. The commission concluded that they both "acted in an obstructive way for which they are legally responsible".
Awards and decorations General Gleeson has been awarded the following:
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Important facts
People in Ian Gleeson's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Ian Gleeson's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Ian Gleeson?
South African general
When was Ian Gleeson born?
Ian Gleeson was born on 15 August 1934.
When did Ian Gleeson die?
Ian Gleeson died on 7 June 2021.
What nationality was Ian Gleeson?
Ian Gleeson was South African.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Ian Gleeson. https://biography.guide/ian-gleeson/
MLA: "Ian Gleeson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/ian-gleeson/.
Chicago: "Ian Gleeson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/ian-gleeson/.
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