He served with distinction in World War I. He commanded the land forces at Narvik in the ineffectual Norwegian campaign in April–May 1940, was commander‐in‐chief in India (1940–41) and from mid‐1941 he commanded in North Africa. He led the advance in Libya, but was driven back by stronger German forces in 1942. When Tobruk surrendered, he took personal command of the troops, establishing the key defensive line at El Alamein. Churchill then replaced him with Montgomery and he returned to India as commander‐in‐chief.