 He was educated at Tonbridge School, Kent and the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich, which was established in 1741 to educate the military branch of the Board of Ordnance to produce officers for the Artillery and Engineers.He entered the Royal Artillery in 1898 and was promoted to Captain (1904) and then to Major (1914).He served in the First World War 1914 - 1918, was wounded, mentioned in despatches and received the Distinguished Service Order.