1 9 3 6 ▁to ▁HMS ▁Tar ant ula ▁as ▁Senior ▁Naval ▁Officer ▁on ▁the ▁West ▁River ▁in ▁China . ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁S ino - J apan ese ▁War . ▁On ▁his ▁return ▁from ▁China , ▁he ▁was ▁offered ▁the ▁post ▁of ▁Captain ▁of ▁the ▁" stone ▁fr ig ate " ▁HMS ▁President , ▁which ▁he ▁decl ined , ▁going ▁on ▁Half - pay ▁at ▁his ▁own ▁request ▁from ▁ 1 4 ▁April ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁until ▁ 2 ▁March ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁Captain ▁of ▁H M ▁Sign al ▁School . ▁ ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁he ▁held ▁four ▁commands . ▁When ▁war ▁was ▁declared ▁he ▁was ▁serving ▁as ▁Captain ▁of ▁H M ▁Sign al ▁School , ▁which ▁also ▁ent a iled ▁being ▁Deput y ▁to ▁the ▁Com mod ore ▁of ▁Royal ▁Naval ▁Bar ra cks , ▁Port sm outh , ▁and , ▁thus , ▁o vers aw ▁the ▁research ▁into ▁the ▁ ▁development ▁of ▁ ▁naval ▁R DF . ▁ ▁His ▁next ▁appointment , ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁was ▁as ▁Captain ▁of ▁the ▁cru iser ▁HMS ▁Kent ▁on ▁the ▁Russian ▁con vo ys . ▁HMS ▁Kent ▁was ▁selected ▁to ▁carry ▁a ▁diplom atic ▁party ▁which ▁included : ▁ ▁H . E . ▁Ivan ▁M ▁Mais ky , ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Amb assador ; ▁ ▁R t ▁Hon ▁ ▁Anthony ▁E den , ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Foreign ▁Affairs ; ▁ ▁Sir ▁Alexander ▁Cad og an ,