▁one ▁of ▁the ▁last ▁en sign s ▁to ▁be ▁gaz ett ed ▁in ▁the ▁British ▁Army . ▁With ▁the ▁ 2 8 th ▁Foot , ▁he ▁served ▁in ▁Gib ral tar ▁and ▁Mal ta . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 4 , ▁he ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁Per ak , ▁but ▁was ▁then ▁moved ▁first ▁to ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁and ▁then ▁to ▁Singapore ▁where , ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 8 , ▁he ▁was ▁a ide - de - camp ▁to ▁Sir ▁William ▁Robinson , ▁Governor ▁of ▁the ▁Stra its ▁S ett lement s . ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 8 7 8 , ▁he ▁accompanied ▁Robinson ▁to ▁Bang k ok ▁for ▁the ▁invest iture ▁of ▁King ▁Ch ul al ong k orn ▁as ▁a ▁Knight ▁Grand ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁St ▁Michael ▁and ▁St ▁George . ▁ ▁Early ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 9 , ▁he ▁entered ▁the ▁service ▁of ▁the ▁Feder ated ▁Mal ay ▁States ▁as ▁Act ing ▁Commission er ▁of ▁the ▁Per ak ▁Ar med ▁Police , ▁and ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁Act ing ▁Ass istant ▁Res ident . ▁By ▁ 1 8 8 4 , ▁he ▁was ▁Command ant ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Per ak ▁S ik hs ▁with ▁the ▁local ▁rank ▁of ▁Major . ▁Five ▁years ▁later , ▁he ▁was ▁granted ▁the ▁honor ary ▁rank ▁of ▁Lieutenant - Col onel ▁whilst ▁employed ▁with ▁the ▁Per ak ▁Police ▁Force . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 2 , ▁he ▁was ▁granted ▁the ▁local ▁rank ▁of ▁Lieutenant - Col onel ▁while ▁employed