 He left for China on 29 September 1933 and after language training was sent to work in the province of Shanxi.The Second World War meant that he did not return to England for furlough until 1944.It was during this furlough that he went to Wellingborough, Northants, to speak at a missionary meeting and there met Joy Callis, only daughter of Henry and Rhoda Callis, who was to become his wife.