Jan Aylen

Rear-Admiral Ian Gerald Aylen (12 October 1910 – 5 November 2003), known as Jan Aylen, was an officer of the Royal Navy during the Second World War, eventually rising to flag rank. Early life Aylen was born in Saltash, Cornwall and educated at Blundell's School and the Royal Naval Engineering College, Keyham, and Greenwich. He was a keen rugby player, representing Kent, Hampshire and Devon at rugby, and captained the Devonport Services R.F.C. in 1938–39. He married Alice Maltby in 1937 and with her had a son and two daughters. Naval career Aylen served at sea, at first aboard the battleship HMS Rodney under future Admiral of the Fleet Captain Jack Tovey. Aylen then became engineer officer of the destroyer HMS Kelvin, which formed part of the 5th Destroyer Flotilla under Captain the Lord Louis Mountbatten. On one occasion, while the Kelvin was in Bombay for repairs, Aylen and a party of sailors visited the Khyber Pass. Aylen and the Kelvin then went on to see action at the Second Battle of Sirte on 22 March 1942. He received the DSC for his efforts during the action. Germany He briefly left front-line service towards the end of the war and was based at Bath. Desiring to return to a more active role he volunteered for the 30th Assault Unit, under the intelligence officer Cdr Ian Fleming, RNVR. He advanced with General Patton's troops across the Rhine and headed for the U-boat research establishments on the Baltic coast as the German army collapsed. Aylen then moved to Flensburg with orders to gather evidence on technical aid supplied by Germany to Japan, and was involved in the questioning of the remaining senior member of the German Admiralty.