 He was at that point active in the Home Service and had contributed as a camp-cook.Enlisted to the Australian 36th Infantry Battalion he rose from private to corporal with three months, and to sergeant six months later.He was wounded in action in Belgium at the Battle of Messines in June 1917 and rejoined his unit in August 1917 at which point he was promoted to 2nd lieutenant, less than eighteen months after enlistment .