He joined a directly active unit in 1941 when he was appointed Colonel and Assistant Director Medical Services, 10th Indian Infantry Division around its formation. An Assistant Director was head of the medical services for a Division. The Division was commanded by Maj-Gen.Bill Slim and at that time it landed in Basra, captured Baghdad and the oilfields of Mosul as part of the Anglo-Iraqi War which was linked to World War II. The division then invaded Syria (in pursuit of Vichy French aeroplanes placed there by the Germans) until June, then invaded Iran as part of the Operation Countenance Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran to secure the Iranian oilfields from the Axis powers for the Allies and Russians. The division then returned to a static guarding role in Mosul. Medical Services in the division were drawn from the RAMC and Indian Army Medical Corps and included the 14th, 21st &amp; 30th Indian Field Ambulance. In September 1941 he was promoted to full Colonel, with seniority backdated to his previous job in 17 November 1938