During the Second World War he served as adjutant to the regimental depot, and attended the Staff College, Camberley. After serving as a General Staff Officer Grade 3 (GSO3) with the Canadian Corps, he was a brigade major to the 38th (Irish) Brigade before serving with the Special Operations Executive (SOE) running operations in Albania. He then returned to the 2nd Battalion of his regiment to fight in North West Europe, from shortly after D-Day landings in June 1944 until Victory in Europe Day in May 1945.