Alan Warren was one of the Corp's great characters with an original outlook and forceful in every thing he did. He was affectionately known as "Cock" although it must be admitted that the less efficient subalterns were on their best behaviour when he was around.
In April 1925 he joined the F.A.A being one of some 19 Officers who volunteered under AF.O. 1058/24. Having qualified in Fleet Spotters he served in 441 Fligh in Hermes and Eagle and was in the Fighter/Seaplane Flight at Kai Tak airfield at Hong Kong in 1926 during the trouble between North and South China. This unit was under "Wings" Day, at that time a Lieutenant RM. Other RM Pilots in Eagle at the time were Cathcart - Jones, Wildman - Lushington and Teek. (and possibly Ellison).
On return to Corps Duty he qualified as an Adjutant and was appointed to Chathm in 1930. After this he qualified at Staff College and qualified psc (m) after which he was Assistant Military Instructor at Deal. He was then seconded to the Army and was serving as GSO I at Singapore when it was taken by the Japanese and he was captured on 17 March 1942. For his work in organising the withdrawal under heavy attack he was awarded the D.S.C.
As a prisoner of war Alan Warren was sent to work on the infamous Death Rail way but before being captured he had organised various guerilla units in addition to making a very hairy voyage in a commandeered 100 ton boat to Sumatra. For a long time he was a wanted man by the Japanese but they were no match for Warren and they never did discover his involvement as S.O.I. or in the guerilla set up.
He returned to the Corps on 29 October 1945 and held several senior appointment including CO of 42 Cdo., AAG to CGRM and representative of CCO in USA. He returned to the UK in July 1952 and retired in 1953 as a Colonel.
After retirement he returned to the USA where he became a successful school teacher as Head of English Language and Literature at Flint Hill School, Fairway Virginia.
He returned to UK in 1975 and died on Christmas Day 1977.
