He then attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst during the First World War, from where he was commissioned on 16 August 1916 into the King's Own Scottish Borderers.
[2] Towards the end of the war, during the Hundred Days Offensive, he was awarded the Military Cross, the citation for which reads: For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty while commanding a company.
[3]Remaining in the army during the difficult interwar period, he became commanding officer of the 1st Battalion the King's Own Scottish Borderers in 1940 during the Second World War.
[6] After leading an unsuccessful operation to raid the Colombelles factory area on 10–11 July 1944,[6] he was relieved of his command and, instead, became deputy director of Military Training at the War Office in London in August 1944.
[4] He retired from the army in July 1946[7] and, having attained the age limit, ceased to belong to the Reserve of Officers on 23 October 1956.