 He served in World War I as a lieutenant in the battleship HMS "Marlborough" in the Grand Fleet from 1916, as navigator in the sloop HMS "Lupin" from 1917 and then as navigator in the cruiser HMS "Royalist".He served in World War II as commanding officer of the aircraft carrier HMS "Eagle" from 1939, as Director of the Naval Air Division at the Admiralty from 1941 and as Chief of Staff to Flag Officer, Carrier Training in 1943.He continued his war service as Commodore commanding Northern Naval Air Stations from 1944.