", as he was generally known, was born at "Milkbank", the Bell-Irvings' ancestral home near Lockerbie, Scotland, the son of a merchant, and initially trained as a civil engineer, before going to Canada in 1882 to become a surveyor-engineer for the Canadian Pacific Railway.
[7][8] Alan Bell-Irving signed attestation papers on 24 September 1914 at Valcartier, Quebec, and was posted to the 16th Battalion (Canadian Scottish).
60 Squadron RFC, to fly the Morane-Saulnier N single-seater scout from Vert Galand airfield, near Amiens, France,[14] and received a regimental promotion to lieutenant in the Gordon Highlanders on 11 July 1916.
His squadron was then re-equipped with Nieuport 17 fighter aircraft, and on 14 September, he shot down an enemy observation balloon at low level over Avesnes-lès-Bapaume,[2] and was subsequently awarded the Military Cross[14] on 20 October 1916.
He gained his fourth and fifth aerial victories, which made him an ace, on 30 September 1916, shooting down two Roland two-seaters in flames over Villers-au-Flos.
His citation read: On 1 May 1917 Bell-Irving received permission to wear the Croix de Guerre conferred on him by France,[24] and on 15 June he was promoted to captain in the Gordon Highlanders.
[25] Bell-Irving's injuries prevented him from returning to front line service, but he served at, and eventually commanded the School of Special Flying at Gosport.
[27] Bell-Irving returned to Vancouver, where on 5 August 1919 he married Mary E. Keith Falconer, daughter of Commander H. Pybus, RNR.
[28] He went into the insurance business until World War II, when he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and served as the commanding officer of No.