At the start of the Second World War he was posted to HMS "St. Angelo" in Malta. In November 1939, he was made a temporary colonel, which he relinquished in January 1940. He was the commanding officer of 5th RM Battalion between March 1940 and February 1942, taking part in the operations in Dakar between August and October 1940. He was made an acting colonel commandant in February 1942, while in October 1943 he was made a colonel 2nd commandant. He was appointed as the Royal Marines "aide-de-camp" to George VI in October 1945, replacing Arthur Reginald Chater in the role. After the conclusion of the war, Reading held the rank of temporary brigadier and was promoted to major-general in January 1946. He was made a CBE in the 1946 Birthday Honours. He was placed on the retired list in November of the same year, having ended his career as the commander of the RM Plymouth Division.