[1] Latchford volunteered to join the first waves of Australian soldiers leaving for the Middle East in late 1914, but due to his proven track record as a trainer, especially in small arms, he was held back to continue training those destined for Gallipoli and the Western Front.
It was here, under appalling conditions, that Ern was awarded the Military Cross for his "conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty, in reorganising the Battalion after it had suffered heavy casualties" [2] In late 1917, Latchford was selected as part of an elite group of Empire officers to serve on 'Dunsterforce', a semi-secret mission to be deployed to North West Persia, to block any attempt by Ottoman forces to reach India, but also to rescue and support Armenian and Assyrian communities under threat from Turkish forces.
Latchford's specific mission was to train Armenian irregulars to act as guerilla fighters against the Turkish invaders or the new threat from Russian Bolshevik forces from the north.
Latchford volunteered as the only Australian to serve on the British-led Knox mission to assist the White Russian forces in Siberia, fighting the Red Armies of Lenin and Trotsky.
Here, he trained a disparete collection of officers, volunteers and conscripts at former Imperial military schools and also on summer rifle range he designed deep in the Siberian forest.
Apart from a 12 month posting to the UK in 1923, he continued his association with the School and the Australian Instructional Corps for the next 29 years, being promoted at various points until appointed Commanding Officer with the rank of colonel.