After a naval cadetship on HMS Erebus,Frobisher and Vindictive during 1937, Alan Smalley served as a Midshipman in 1938 as a Midshipman on HMS Hood and HMS Griffin in the Mediterranean in 1938 before joining HMS Warspite shortly before the outbreak of war. He was promoted to Lieutenant and served in the Destroyer HMS Delight during the 1940 campaign in Norway until she was sunk by enemy action in July 1940. He then served in the heavy cruiser HMS York against the Ital He then spent months ashore until the Greman landings on Crete in May 1941 when he was amongst the last of the forces evacuated to Egyptian Fleet until she was put out of action at Suda Bay Crete in March 1941. He then saw service in the battlecruiser HMS Renown on Atlantic convoy protection based in Iceland, later qualifying as an Anti-Submarine Officer and serving in the destroyer HMS Saumaris on Arctic convoy protection duties, with particular reference to her engagement with the German battleship Scharnhorst in December 1943. There was a brief interlude serving in HMS Serapis whilst Saumaris was undergoing repairs and, during this period he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for:-"Outstanding courage, determination or devotion to duty in HMS Serapis in successfully escorting convoys to North Russia in the face of attacks from enemy submarines and Aircraft" He then returned to Saumaris which participated in the Normandy Landings in June 1944 (Eastern Task Force). He was then on detachment to the Anti-Submarine Experimental Establishment at Fairlea and Portland.