He was chosen, after interview at the War Office, to learn the Japanese Language. Apparently his interviewers were impressed by his having had 2 years of Latin classes at School. His training in the Navy started when we reached 18 and he was obliged to undergo the enlistment procedure in the same way as other recuits. He spent 2 weeks at a Butlins Holiday Camp which had been requisitioned for that purpose. There followed 5 weeks at HMS Duke in the Cotswolds (nowhere near the Sea) learning to be a Sailor and, finally, a move to the School of Oriental and African Studies. He was billeted at a lodging house in Putney and journeyed to the School by bus every day. On the day the war ended in Europe, he and his colleagues were given the day off to celebrate.

The training was tough with monthly exams and with those not achieving the required standard being sent away to normal naval duties The Japanese war ended in early August just before the course ended. 14 finished the course and were duly commissioned as midshipmen. They were sent to the Far East to British Naval Intelligence and travelled out on the Aquitania, the only ocean going liner to serve as a troopship in both World Wars. As he, and a number of others, had only learnt the written language, it was decided to return them to the UK for further training as speakers. He travelled to Sri Lanka on HMS Devonshire when a signal came through to divert him and others to Malaya "to assist in the screening" of Japanese military personnel who had surrendered on the islands of Java, Sumatra and Borneo. "Screening" was the term used to cover the examining of the nominal roles of the men coming through and the locating of those who were wanted for having committed War Crimes He later returned to Singapore and attended Changi Jail to compile service records of the prisoners who were either awaiting trial or serving sentences or (a very few) awaiting execution.