Served in Royal Marines and Naval Intelligence. Appointed Assistant Secretary (1908), and then Secretary to Committee of Imperial Defence (1912-1938). He was also Secretary to the War Cabinet (1916), Imperial War Cabinet (1917-1918), and Cabinet (1919-1938). He was Minister without Portfolio in War Cabinet (1939-1940), Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1940-1941), and Paymaster General (1941-1942).