 He was later elected a member of the Institute of Marine and Power Engineers union and was chairman of the Hillside branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants and later its secretary.In 1928 he was a foundation member of the Otago Division of the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve and was commissioned as an officer with the rank of Lieutenant.During World War II Connolly served in the Royal New Zealand Navy in both the Atlantic and Pacific, commanding the minesweeper ship "HMS Deodar" and antisubmarine vessel "HMNZS Moa".