 Pollock served in the Second World War, becoming first lieutenant of the old destroyer in October 1939, escorting shipping across the English Channel to supply the British Expeditionary Force in northern France, and protecting convoys in the eastern Atlantic Ocean.His ship was badly damaged by German aircraft off Dover in July 1940.Pollock joined the shore establishment HMS "Excellent" to train as a gunnery specialist in January 1941, and, having qualified, became a gunnery instructor there, but was then appointed gunnery officer on the light cruiser HMS "Arethusa" in Alexandria, where he was involved in the struggle to get supplies to Malta.