Stalwart of British Legion mourned
Royal Borough: Colourful character Alan Wand dies aged 86
A former serviceman and ‘colourful figure around Maidenhead’ for many years has passed away aged 86.
Alan Wand, also known as ‘Jungle Jim’ and ‘Wandy’, lived in Maidenhead for most of his life.
He began work as an apprentice plumber when he was called up for military service in the 1950s.
He was part of the Duke of Edinburgh’s regiment and the Royal Hampshire Regiment, then served under the Wessex Brigade at the Brock Barracks.
Alan completed his basic training and his battalion was sent to Malaya to fight in the Malayan War. He was there for 18 months.
“He saw some quite horrific scenes in Malaya. He came
back a changed man – he wasn’t the happy-go-lucky sort of guy he used to be,” said brother Bob Wand.
“They would lay undercover in camouflage for days in water, waiting to ambush the terrorists that would come marching through. I wouldn’t have liked to do it.”
After returning, Alan went back to working as a self-employed plumber and later worked in a DIY store in Lynch’s Yard, Marlow, with his cousin, Dave.
He liked to keep in touch with his ex-army comrades and was involved in the Flackwell Heath and Maidenhead branches of the Royal British Legion (RBL).
Alan is remembered among members of the Maidenhead RBL for wearing a blazer with a patch sporting two crossed kukris (a Gurkha machete).
“That identified him as a jungle fighter,” said Maidenhead RBL’s honorary secretary Ray Williams.
Alan went to the first meetings of the Maidenhead branch of the RBL, after it was newly reinstated in the early 2000s, to help set it up.
However, he remained a member of the Flackwell
Heath branch as well.
“He felt a certain obligation to them and stuck with them,” said Ray.
“He was just a nice old boy, a sad loss to us all.”
In his later years, Alan would make collections for the Poppy Appeal from his neighbours in his residential community in Courthouse Road.
He was also an ‘ardent supporter’ of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and always carried his RNLI bag around with him.
Alan loved being by the sea and always had his binoculars ready to watch the ships and tankers making their way to Portsmouth or Southampton.
He enjoyed going on coach trips away for a few days at a time and would lead the community singing during the ride.
“He was that sort of bloke –
he was a very colourful sort of character,” said Bob.
“He was everyone’s friend – I don’t think he had any enemies.”
Alan passed away at
Wexham Park Hospital on July 25, after a short illness.
He was admitted with suspected pneumonia which progressed to COVID-19.
Alan’s memorial service will be taking place at the Bass Suite in the Maidenhead Ivy Leaf Club on Monday, August 22 from 1-5pm.
He is survived by his siblings Robert Wand, Susan Baldwin Hogg and Christine Tawse.
The family has asked for any donations in Alan’s memory to be made to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.