As war approached, in 1939, he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. In 1940 he was a in a Destroyer as a Lieutenant. After joining Coastal Forces he rose to Lieutenant-Commander and commanded a flotilla of Motor Gun Boats in the Channel. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross with bar and an MBE (Military Division). In 1944 he was a Staff Officer and in March 1945 he was appointed Captain of the brand new Frigate HMS 'Cardigan Bay'.