[2] His service in the years prior to World War I were spent with the King's African Rifles in British East Africa.

[3] During the war he served on the Western Front with the Machine Gun Corps, being wounded, mentioned in dispatches, and being awarded both the Military Cross and the Distinguished Service Order.

[1] The citation for his DSO reads: For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during lengthy operations, when he displayed great courage and initiative in organising Tanks for action and leading them to their starting points.

Later, in command of Lewis gun teams, his skill in handling the various groups during a rearguard action largely contributed to the successful withdrawal of the infantry.

After commanding the 5th Battalion, Tank Corps in 1934 he became Chief Instructor at the Royal Tank Corps Central School in Bovington in 1935 and then Chief Instructor of the Gunnery Wing at the Armoured Fighting Vehicles School at Lulworth in 1937.