Alan Brown (British Army officer)

Brigadier Alan Ward Brown CBE DSO MC (8 July 1909 – 1 September 1971) was a British Army tank officer of the Second World War.

Alan Brown
Born(1909-07-08)8 July 1909
Died1 September 1971(1971-09-01) (aged 62)
High Hurstwood, Sussex, England
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Years of service1930–1958
RankBrigadier
Service number44827
UnitRoyal Tank Regiment
Commands held147th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps
3rd Royal Tank Regiment
31st Armoured Brigade
Specialised Armour Development Establishment
25th Armoured Brigade
Battles/warsMohmand campaign of 1935
Second World War
AwardsCommander of the Order of the British Empire
Companion of the Distinguished Service Order
Military Cross
Chevalier of the Order of Leopold with Palm
Croix de guerre

Military career

Brown was educated at Bromsgrove School and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, before commissioning into the Royal Tank Corps on 30 January 1930.[1][2] He served with the 5th Battalion until 1931, and then he served with the 2nd Armoured Car Company in India until 1935. He fought in the Mohmand campaign of 1935, during which he was awarded the Military Cross.[3] Brown then served in the 2nd Battalion RTC until 1939. Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Brown worked as a staff officer attached to the 79th Armoured Division until 1943, when he became Commanding Officer, 147th Battalion Royal Armoured Corps. He served in France following D-Day and until April 1945 was Commanding Officer, 3rd Battalion Royal Tank Regiment. He then became commander of the 31st Armoured Brigade. In February 1945 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.[4]

From 1948 to 1949 Brown was the Commandant of the Specialised Armour Development Establishment, and between 1953 and 1956 was the commander of the 25th Armoured Brigade. In 1955 he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and he retired with the rank of brigadier on 10 July 1958.[5]

References

  1. "No. 33575". The London Gazette. 31 January 1930. p. 652.
  2. "Brown, Alan Ward" in British Army Officers 1939-1945 at unithistories.com, accessed 6 July 2015
  3. "No. 34282". The London Gazette. 8 May 1936. p. 2979.
  4. "No. 36917". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 February 1945. p. 678.
  5. "No. 40497". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 June 1955. p. 3263.
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