User:Surrus/Lt. Col. Alan Key

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Early life and rugby career
Alan Key was born in Chalfont St. Peter, Buckinghamshire, in June 1908, the youngest of three children. His father, Francis (Frank) Key was the chief accountant for the Mashonaland Railway, in Southern Rhodesia. He was educated at Cranleigh School in Surrey, England.

He worked as a stockbroker in London.

His passion was rugby union and after leaving Cranleigh School he captained the Old Cranleighan team a number of times, before being selected for the England team in 1929, for the test match vs. Ireland. Unfortunately his career was affected by a number of injuries to his ankle - a point mentioned in the sporting cartoons of the day. He played for the Barbarians on numerous occasions, becoming the only player to play in every position outside the scrum excepting full-back.

Early life and career
He enlisted in the Royal Artillery in 1940. At the end of that year he was Mentioned in Despatches. After the war, he retained his links with the army as a member of the Territorials.

Post-war career
In 1946, the MoD set up the Army Kinematic Corporation (AKC) - which has since evolved into the SSVC - and Colonel Key joined as the Deputy General Manager (East). He became the Company Secretary in 1949, and eventually the General Manager during the 1950s. He left in 1969, once the AKC had successfully merged with the Royal Air Force Cinemtic Corporation, to become the Service Kinematic Corporation. In