[2] At the outbreak of World War II he joined the Highland Light Infantry, and became the youngest pipe major in the British Army at the age of 20 after passing the course at Edinburgh Castle under the tuition of Willie Ross.
In March 1957 he was shot and seriously injured while on duty and subsequently retired in 1958 to California, where he took the San Francisco Caledonian Pipe Band to Grade 1 by 1960 for the first time in its history.
[3] He ran a business selling highland supplies, but in 1964 returned to Scotland to become pipe major of the Invergordon Distillery Pipe Band at the invitation of distillery owner Frank Thomson, who wanted to create a top-class band to promote the business.
[3] Invergordon won every major title except the World Championships during its four years of existence, and included top-class players such as John D. Burgess and Alex Duthart.
[3][4] After the Invergordon Distillery band ceased to exist in 1967 he returned to California, and he was involved in judging in both North America and the UK.