 Only a few days after Poett arrived in Britain, war had been declared on Germany and the Second World War had begun.He travelled to the regimental depot in County Durham, and after two weeks at Brancepeth Castle running troop exercises, he was informed that he had been promoted to the rank of major and appointed a General Staff Officer Grade 2.Poett would be attached to a branch of the War Office known as Staff Duties 2, and his specific duties were concerned with allocating weapons to British Army units positioned throughout the different theatres of war.