Alex Forrest

Alex Forrest was the son of a Ceylonese (now Sri Lankan) coffee planter. He was born in Ceylon but moved to England to live with his grandmother before he started his senior school education. He started fencing at the turn of the 20th century, primarily with the épée but, at various stages of his career, fought with all three weapons, eventually specialising in the sabre.

Forrest served in World War I as a commissioned officer in the 4th (London) Howitzer Brigade, and after the hostilities returned to his profession as an insurance agent before eventually becoming a broker. He also continued his fencing career and as a member of the RAC (Royal Automobile Club) and the Sabre Club reached the final of the 1928 British Sabre Championship, finishing second to Guy Harry, which was the best performance of his career. A few months later, Harry and Forrest were members of the British sabre team at the Amsterdam Olympics that lost both their pool matches and were eliminated at the first hurdle.