4 3 ▁and ▁then ▁sole ly ▁until ▁he ▁res igned ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁Before ▁joining ▁the ▁BBC , ▁Foot ▁was ▁a ▁general ▁manager ▁at ▁Gas , ▁Light ▁and ▁Co ke ▁Company . ▁After ▁being ▁succeeded ▁by ▁William ▁H ale y , ▁he ▁became ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁M ining ▁Association . ▁ ▁Life ▁and ▁career ▁Foot ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 9 ▁and ▁educated ▁at ▁Win chester ▁College . ▁He ▁started ▁his ▁career ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 2 ▁as ▁a ▁solic itor ▁in ▁Cal cut ta , ▁India , ▁working ▁for ▁the ▁firm ▁of ▁Or r , ▁D ign am ▁and ▁Company . ▁During ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War , ▁he ▁served ▁in ▁Belg ium ▁and ▁France ▁with ▁the ▁Royal ▁Field ▁Art illery . ▁He ▁was ▁mentioned ▁in ▁dispatch es ▁on ▁two ▁occasions , ▁and ▁later ▁received ▁an ▁O BE ▁and ▁Military ▁Cross ▁for ▁his ▁service . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁he ▁began ▁working ▁for ▁the ▁Gas ▁Light ▁and ▁Co ke ▁Company , ▁appointed ▁by ▁David ▁Mil ne ▁Watson . ▁From ▁ 1 9 2 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁he ▁held ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁General ▁Manager . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War , ▁he ▁acted ▁as ▁a ▁government ▁ad visor ▁on ▁organisation ▁within ▁the ▁BBC . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁joint ▁Director - General ▁with ▁Cec il ▁Gra ves . ▁The ▁following ▁year , ▁Gra ves ▁retired ▁due