During the First World War, Gowrie commanded units in the Gallipoli campaign and on the Western Front, winning several further honours.

His handling of political instability during the Great Depression was highly regarded, and when his term expired he was appointed Governor of New South Wales.

As well as the stresses of the Second World War, he faced several constitutional challenges, including Lyons' death in office and the defeat of Arthur Fadden's government on a confidence motion.

Gowrie's term in office was prolonged as a result of war, and in total he spent nine years in the position, the longest of any governor-general.

Following training at the United Services College, he was commissioned on 27 April 1893 as a lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion of the Highland Light Infantry, and was promoted to captain on 18 November 1896.

[5] During the action at Gedarif on 22 September 1898, Hore-Ruthven performed an act of courage, which earned him the Victoria Cross: The Queen has been graciously pleased to signify Her intention to confer the decoration of the Victoria Cross on the undermentioned Officer, whose claims have been submitted for Her Majesty's approval, for his conspicuous bravery during the attack on the Baggage Guard at the action of Gedarif on the 22nd September 1898, as recorded against his name: On the 22nd September 1898, Captain Hore-Ruthven, seeing an Egyptian officer lying wounded within 50 yards of the advancing Dervishes, who were firing and charging, picked him up and carried him towards the 16th Egyptian Battalion.

Had the officer been left where he first dropped, he must have been killed[6]In May 1899, Hore-Ruthven was also awarded the Order of Osmanieh, Fourth Class, by the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire for his services in the Sudan.

[14][15] He was awarded a Bar to his DSO on 2 April 1919; the citation reads as follows: He commanded his brigade with conspicuous gallantry and judgment throughout the operations east of Ypres from 28th September to 27th October 1918, inclusive.

On 20th October, at St. Louis, he went forward among the attacking troops at a critical juncture and inspired them to the final effort, whereby the high ground of great tactical value was captured.

He took to his duties with enthusiasm and visited many areas of the State in a de Havilland DH.60 Moth owned by his ADC, Captain Hugh Grosvenor.

[30] In a 1930 Anzac Day speech, Hore-Ruthven criticised the union movement for exacerbating, through strike action, the hardship suffered by returned servicemen.

[30] He was on leave in London when the third Bodyline Test cricket match in Adelaide caused Anglo-Australian political tension in 1933, and played a significant part in smoothing relations through his meetings with the British Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs J.H.

The Lionel Hill government, elected on a promise of bringing a "golden future", was heavily criticised when economic realities forced it to adopt austerity measures.

He was almost immediately appointed Governor of New South Wales and at the suggestion of Prime Minister Joseph Lyons was also raised to the peerage as Baron Gowrie, of Canberra in the Commonwealth of Australia and of Dirleton in the County of East Lothian.

In accordance with Australian constitutional practice, he was formally appointed by George V, who died on 20 January 1936, three days before Gowrie was due to be sworn in as Governor-General.

The days that Governors-General exercised significant power, or even participated in negotiations between the Australian and British governments, had now passed, but Gowrie set a precedent in 1938, when he toured the Netherlands East Indies at the invitation of the colonial administration.

The Coalition lost its majority, leaving the UAP Prime Minister, Robert Menzies, dependent on the votes of independents Alexander Wilson and Arthur Coles to stay in power.

Gowrie's therefore summoned the two independents to Yarralumla and made them promise that if he commissioned Curtin as Prime Minister, they would support him and end the instability in government.

He supported efforts to encourage the troops, including opening service personnel recreation huts at St Andrew's Cathedral and the Showgrounds for the Church of England National Emergency Fund.