Lieut.-Col. Alan Haig-Brown DSO (Middlesex)

Many families have been more than a little concerned for their young men following the German offensive that started in March 21st. News of their fate has been slow in coming through. Mrs. Haig-Brown had not heard from her husband for two weeks and contacted the War Office for news on April 4th. That same day she received a telegram informing her that Alan had been killed during the retreat, on March 25th.

Alan taught at Lancing College before the war and played a key role in the development of the OTC; he aided in the training of numerous battalions before going out to become the Commanding Officer of the 23rd Service Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment – known as the 2nd Football Battalion.

Alan was well known both for his writing and footballing skills.

The Assistant Chaplain-General has written to say, “From what I hear, he gave his life in seeing that others got clean away, and died, as he had lived, for the men he commanded.”

This notice appeared in yesterday’s ‘Daily Telegraph’:

I have fond memories of Alan as a boy. His love of animals showed itself at a very early age; he was the originator of ‘pets’ at the School, and a goat which trotted about with him was the forerunner of many and various kinds of two, four and even no-legged successors: ducks, hens, kittens, snakes, tortoises, rats, mice, parrots, macaws, cardinals, cut-throats, budgerigars et hoc genus omne, may all claim to owe their appearance among us to Alan.

Some of us may remember his introduction of a huge snake into the drawing-room of 28 Norham Road, and the ensuing hysterics of a parent.