Sandy Glen

Sir Alexander Richard Glen KBE DSC (April 18 1912 – march 6 2004) was a Scottish explorer of the Arctic, and wartime intelligence officer. He later invested in the shipping industry, employed Tom Gullick who was a pioneer of package holidays, and became chairman of the British Tourist Authority.

He was appointed CBE in 1964 and KBE in 1967.

Early life Born in Glasgow, Glen was the son of a Glasgow shipowner and educated at Fettes College and read Geography at Balliol College, Oxford.

Arctic exploration Glen first travelled to the Arctic as crew on a fishing boat owned by a Cambridge law don, and spent two months surveying in the mountains.

The next year, he led his own 16-man Oxford University summer expedition which included Hugh Lygon who also invited Evelyn Waugh (who nearly drowned when a glacier thawed), and in the winter spent some months with the Sámi of northern Sweden, then in the following summer, returned to Spitsbergen for a few weeks.

In 1935 the 23-year-old Glen led an Oxford University expedition which established a station on the icecap of North East Land and carried out research in glaciology, geology and radio propagation in high latitudes. 27 October 1942 - Distinguished Service Cross - Acting Lieutenant-Commander Alexander Richard Glen, R.N.V.R. for distinguished services 23 March 1943 - Norwegian War Cross - Lieutenant-Commander Alexander Richard Glen, D.S.C., R.N.V.R. 9 May 1944 - Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav - To be a Chevalier of the First Grade of the Order of St. Olav: Acting Lieutenant-Commander Alexander Glen, D.S.C., R.N.V.R. 20 February 1945 - Bar to the Distinguished Service Cross - Acting Lieutenant-Commander Alexander Richard Glen, D.S.C., R.N.V.R. For courage and undaunted devotion to duty. 1 November 1946 - Czechoslovak War Cross - Acting Lieutenant Commander (Sp.) Alexander Richard Glen, D.S.C., R.N.V.R. bestowed by the President of the Czechoslovak Republic for service to Czechoslovakia during the War. 1 January 1964 - Commander of the Order of the British Empire - Alexander Richard Glen, Esq., D.S.C., Chairman, H. Clarkson and Company Ltd. 1 January 1967 - Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire - Alexander Richard Glen, Esq., C.B.E., D.S.C., Chairman, Export Council for Europe, For services to Export.