 He was educated at the Aldro prep school, Eastbourne, the Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz in Switzerland, and at Jesus College, Cambridge, but left without a degree.During the Second World War, Hallowes initially served with the 2nd Battalion, the Gordon Highlanders in the defence of Malaya against Japan in 1942.His unit was one of the last to escape into Singapore before the causeway to Malaya was destroyed.