Alan Macfarlane Sloan

Alan MacFarlane Sloan (20 April 1925 – 10 July 1948) was a British officer, who fought in World War II, and for the Pakistan Army. During the Indo-Pakistani war of 1947–1948, he led the Pakistani engineering brigades and is known for his contributions in the Battle of Chunj and being the only British soldier to die in service of the Pakistan army. Major Sloan was born in 1925 in Beckenham, Kent. He was transferred to India in 1944 and, after Partition, he arrived in Pakistan on 18 October 1947 and joined the 71st Field Company of Pakistan Army Engineers. His services led to him being promoted to major the next month. and posted to Bengal Engineer Group. This was part of the British Indian Army before partition. Subsequently, Sloan was promoted to captain and posted as second-in-command to the 68th Field Engineers Company in June 1947.

To overcome the problem of an insufficient number of officers, it was proposed that former British soldiers were brought into Pakistan Army service for almost a year. This proposal was taken to the high command of the British Indian Army, who accepted it. Following this, 474 British officers, including Sloan, volunteered to join the Pakistan Army.

Mountbatten and Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck, the last Commander-in-Chief, India, had made it clear to Pakistan that in case of war with India, no other member of the Commonwealth would come to Pakistan's aid. The Stand Down Order, which was the title of a general order issued by Field Marshal Claude Auchinleck, the Supreme Commander of the Indian and Pakistani military forces. He had told both governments that in the event of war between the two newly formed dominions, British officers would leave. His services led to him being promoted to major the very next month. It was then that India-Pakistan tensions boiled over, and signalled the start of the Indo-Pakistani war of 1947–1948. India had begun building up its army presence in the Jammu and Kashmir region since late October. In response the Pakistanis rapidly organised their army units and moved them to Kashmir to prevent the Indian invasion. the Indian 163rd Brigade launched an offensive in Tithwal sector which raised the threat to Muzaffarabad after their forces advanced from Handwara to Tithwal and from Uri to Urusa. The advance caused much panic and desperation in the Pakistani high command.

The mountainous terrain of the area made the services of the engineering units of the army more important. At that time, there were only 2 engineering brigades in the Pakistan Armed Forces, which were the 2nd and 71st Engineering Brigades and were led by Major Tufail Ahmad and Major Sloan.

Hence, it was decided to move the QF 3.7-inch mountain howitzer, nicknamed Shehzadi, to Point 9444 after dismantling it for transport, owing to the absence of a paved or proper route. The 71st Engineering Brigade was said to have worked day and night to make the track fit for the artillery piece to be transported by mules. He also made sure that the circumstances under which Major Sloan died would not made public. Philip Noel-Baker submitted a note to Clement Attlee requesting not to use the Stand Down Order, which would be harmful for Pakistan and would also result in the souring of relations between Britain and Pakistan. Therefore, the request for the Stand Down Order made by Jawaharlal Nehru was turned down.