With the outbreak of the First World War he enlisted as a private in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in 1914 and went overseas with a railway construction unit.

For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty on the night of 8–9 October 1918, at Canal de L'Escaut, north-east of Cambrai.

He led a small party ahead of the first wave of infantry in order to examine the various bridges on the line of approach and, if possible, to prevent their demolition.

Early in World War II, he was assigned to the Royal Canadian Engineers (RCE), at Camp Borden, Ont.

Transferred back to Canada in 1943, he was attached to National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa before joining the staff of the RCE Training Centre at Petawawa, Ont.

He died November 17, 1978, and was buried at the National Field of Honour in Pointe Claire, Quebec (Section M. Grave 3051).