Joining the Royal Engineers in 1877, he saw active service during the Anglo-Egyptian War, the Mahdist War, and the Boer War.
During the First World War, he was posted to the War Office, served as General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Portsmouth (1916–1918), and, in what was to be his final military appointment, served as GOC South East Area in the newly created Royal Air Force (1918–1919).