 Northcott served on the staff of the 4th Division from 17 September 1931 to 31 January 1932 and then with the 3rd Division from 1 February to 22 November 1932 . He returned to England as an exchange officer with the British Army , where he served the staff of the 44th ( Home Counties ) Infantry Division . He attended the Imperial Defence College in 1935 . He was one of only six Australian Army officers to attend this prestigious course between 1928 and 1939 , the others being John Lavarack , Henry Wynter , Vernon Sturdee , Sydney Rowell and William Bridgeford . Frederick Shedden , later Secretary of the Department of Defence , also attended this course . Northcott was given the brevet rank of lieutenant colonel on 1 July 1935 , which was made substantive on 1 January 1936 . He attended the Senior Officers ' School at Sheerness in 1936 , and was seconded to the Committee of Imperial Defence . He then served as an Australian defence attaché in the United States and Canada from September 1936 to June 1937 . He was promoted to the brevet rank of colonel on 1 July 1937 and substantive rank on 13 October 1939 . He served on the staff of the 4th Division until 1 September 1939 , when he became Director of Military Operations and Intelligence . 
