In 1940, he was ordained for field work with the YMCA War Service in North Africa, and helped to establish a centre in Tobruk for use by all faiths to care for the social, physical and spiritual needs of those engaged in desert warfare.
In 1940, he began working with the YMCA's War Service in North Africa, establishing a center in Tobruk that provided support for the social, physical, and spiritual well-being of individuals involved in desert combat.