Oke, Regimental No. 565, enlisted 16 September 1914 with B Company of the 1st Battalion, Newfoundland Regiment and departed St. John's with several of his cousins aboard the SS Florizel on 4 October 1914. After training in Salisbury Plain, he served with the Quartermaster's personal staff for Captain Michael Francis Summers when the Newfoundland Regiment was at Fort George, Scotland. After the battalion provided guard duties at Edinburgh Castle and had arrived for further training at Stobs Camp near Hawick, Oke was promoted to Acting Corp. on 22 June 1915. On 11 November 1915, while in Ayr, Scotland, Oke transferred from the Newfoundland Regiment to a Commissioned Rank (2nd Lieutenant) in the 14th Battalion of the 1st Regiment of Foot Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment) of The New Army.