He joined the Royal Navy and was promoted lieutenant in 1897. In November 1902, he was posted to the battleship HMS "Venerable", as she received its first commission going to the Mediterranean Fleet. He was promoted to commander in 1908 and captain in 1914. In 1912 he was given command of HMS "Goshawk" which took part in the Battle of Heligoland in 1914 and was instrumental in the sinking of the German destroyer "V187". He was put in command of the light cruisers HMS "Royalist" at the Battle of Jutland in 1916 and HMS "Ceres" at the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight in 1917.