[1] On graduation from Royal Military College, Sandhurst he was commissioned into the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders as a second lieutenant on 29 January 1925.

[2] On 14 December 1932 (now a lieutenant) he was seconded for service with the Colonial Office,[3] joining 4th Battalion, Nigeria Regiment, Royal West African Frontier Force.

[1] His secondment ended on 1 August 1938,[5] and he returned to the UK, taking up regimental duties with 1st Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders in early 1939.

[1] In March 1940, following the outbreak of the Second World War, Tod volunteered to join the Independent Companies being raised for the Norwegian campaign.

Tod was later commended for his leadership during a raid across the river Garigliano on 29/30 December 1943 and during Operation Shingle, the Allied amphibious attack on Anzio on 22 January 1944.

As Tod gave orders for the main attack to begin, four out of five troop leaders, the intelligence officer, and the regimental sergeant major were all killed or wounded by the shelling.

The troops detailed to attack the objective managed to attain it, but were taking heavy casualties, so Tod ordered a retreat to defensive positions on the southern slope of Mount Ornito.

[14] Just under a month later, on 19 March 1944, the commando was ordered to carry out a diversionary attack on a dry valley in the Campo di Carne area, and for his leadership on this occasion Tod was awarded a Bar to his DSO on 20 July 1944.

The recommendation especially mentions Tod's "complete disregard for his own personal safety", and his "outstanding display of coolness, courage and leadership at a time when such qualities were most urgently required.

"[16] Tod then served in the Greek islands with Foxforce in the summer of 1944,[17] when 9 Commando was made part of 2nd Special Service Brigade under the command of Land Forces Adriatic, led by George Davy.

Tod was awarded the freedom of the city by Archbishop Damaskinos of Athens,[14] and Davy credited him as "one of the two British officers who kept Greece on the free side of the Iron Curtain".