On the outbreak of the Great War, despite having won a scholarship to attend Oxford University, he joined the Territorial Army.

He was serving as an officer of 17th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment; his unit suffering severe casualties as they successfully captured the village of Montauban.

Though severely wounded he rushed an enemy strong point with a Lewis gun capturing it and taking about half the garrison prisoners.

His actions allowed the infantry, which had been pinned back by the machine gun post, to advance.

Though bleeding profusely from his wounds, he refused the attention of stretcher-bearers, rushed from behind the Tank with a Lewis gun, and captured the strong point, taking about half the garrison prisoners.