 He was a first cousin, once removed, of the writer Leonard Shoobridge (Ingram's grandfather's brother was the father of Leonard).He began his education at St Davids School, Reigate, Surrey (a boarding school), went on to Eton from 1904 to 1907, and Hubert Brinton's House from September 1904 until Easter 1909, and King's College, Cambridge from 1909 to 1913.During the First World War Ingram served as a captain on the General Staff at the War Office and was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1918.