Alan McGlashan

Who was Alan McGlashan?

Alan Fleming McGlashan, MC was a British pilot and doctor.

His father was a medical doctor in General Practice. McGlashan joined the Royal Flying Corps in 1916, later the RAF.

After constantly flying over German lines, he was Mentioned in Despatches, awarded the MC and the Croix de Guerre with Palm, the citation reading, He has accomplished all his missions with the greatest devotion, and on many occasions has succeeded in reconnaissance at very low altitude in perilous conditions under violent enemy fire.

The Exhibition he won to Clare College Cambridge had been deferred to 1918. He trained for the medical profession at St George's Hospital. After qualifying, he joined a tramp steamer as ship's surgeon. He also worked as a drama critic for The Observer and News Chronicle.

After joining his father in general practice, he trained at the Maudsley Hospital and the Tavistock Clinic, qualifying as a consultant psychiatrist in 1940.

Later, after meeting C.G. Jung and reading his works, Dr. McGlashan, though eclectic in his work, leaned strongly towards Jungian analysis. Between 1941 and 1945 Dr. McGlashan was consulting psychiatrist on the War Office Selection Board. He was a member of the psychiatric staff at St George's Hospital, the Maudsley Hospital and the West End Hospital; his private practice was for many years in Wimpole Street, and later at his home. His patients including HRH The Prince of Wales and, as she would become, Diana, Princess of Wales.