FORMER Police Sergeant, Alan Cowie Wood, who served with Bournemouth Borough Police, Dorset & Bournemouth Constabulary and Dorset Police for 30 years, passed away peacefully at his home aged 88 years on 1st October.

Born in the Highlands of Scotland, Scottstown, Banff and educated at Banff Academy as he grew up, Alan showed a great interest in tinkering with and constructing radios and as soon as he was old enough, joined the Royal Air Force initially as a radio operator.

During his time with the Royal Air Force, Alan was stationed at West Kirby, Cardington, Fairford, Upper Heyford, Lyneham, Chivenor and Netheravon. This now bought him down to the South of England and it was at this point he married and moved to Bournemouth where he joined the police force.

In those days he would walk the streets of Winton at night, pushing his bike, in all weathers, trying the shop door handles as a security check and was a familiar sight in Bournemouth, carrying out point duty at The Lansdowne and Pier Approach.

However, the Panda car soon came along adding more excitement to his life and he found himself stationed at Bournemouth, Boscombe, Kinson and Poole. He preferred to work out on the streets, not in an office.

Even at this stage of his police career, Alan had started writing articles for the independent American magazine Law and Order and in 1958 was rewarded by receiving a Certificate of Merit from the National Police Officers Association of America.

As a police constable, Alan represented the British police at a trade event in Paris during 1967 at the official opening of Au Printemps, a British goods promotion by Lord Chalfont.

During his career he received no less than six commendations, one being for the manner in which he dealt with a man who had gone berserk and was armed with a knife and rifle that was believed to be loaded. He finally retired in 1983 as a sergeant and was awarded his Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.

So now Alan had more time for writing and his first book to be published was History of the World's Glider Forces, followed by The Glider Soldiers. In 2002 he had another book published Aces and Airmen of World War 1. This book covered the national heroes of early air combat. In contrast during 2010 Alan had a book published, Military Ghosts citing Sherborne Old Castle where Sir Walter Raleigh is said to walk through the grounds and buildings.

Sadly, Alan was then diagnosed with Alzheimer's and unable to complete his last book Military Aviation of the First World War . However, publication was eventually made possible with the input of the publisher, Alan Sutton, to whom Alan's family are so very grateful.