Alston-Roberts-West trained at
Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, and was then commissioned into the
Grenadier Guards in December 1957. He saw service in England, Northern Ireland, Germany and Cyprus. He retired from the British Army in 1980. On 16 February 1982, he became an
Extra Equerry to Queen
Elizabeth II. In December 1987, he was appointed
Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain's Office, in succession to
Sir John Johnston. He was succeeded by
Malcolm Ross on 1 January 1991. In November 1988, he was appointed a
Deputy Lieutenant of
Warwickshire. ==Personal life and death==