Following the outbreak of World War I he served briefly as a chaplain to the 2nd Battalion, Imperial Light Horse and the 3rd Mounted Brigade, “D” Force in German South-West Africa.
[7] He was admitted as a chaplain of the Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in May 1946, and invested as such at an investiture held in Cape Town on 16 April 1948.
[8][9] Brooke was “a man of sincere Christian conviction and devout life, he possessed a strong character and a vivid sense of humour.
He was also an outstanding sportsman and in his youth played Currie Cup rugby for Western Province.”[4] Brooke was married in 1910 to Helen Mary Buchanan, the daughter of the Hon.
The second Mrs Brooke, who was the author of the book, Robert Gray First Bishop of Cape Town (1947),[10] died on 1 June 1985.