He joined the Second AIF in July 1940 and served in Malaya until September 1941, when he was discharged and became a war correspondent for Reuters. He returned to Malaya for Reuters, escaping from Singapore in a British destroyer when Singapore fell to Japanese forces. He wrote the books "Grim Glory" (1942) and "You'll Be Sorry" (1944) about his experiences. His wife, who had accompanied him on many of his journalistic travels, replaced him as acting news editor of Reuters in Sydney when he enlisted. They had a daughter and a son.