plˈeɪfɛɹ bɪkˌeɪm ˈɑːfɪsɚ kəmˈændɪŋ ðə dʒˈɛntəlmən kɐdˈɛts ʌvðə ɹˈɔɪəl mɚɹˈiːn ɑːɹtˈɪlɚɹi ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti, ɐtˈɛndɪŋ ðə stˈæf kˈɑːlɪdʒ, kˈæmbɚli fɹʌm nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti nˈaɪn tə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi, tʃˈiːf ɪnstɹˈʌktɚɹ ɪn fˈiːld wˈɜːks ænd bɹˈɪdʒɪŋ æt ðə ɹˈɔɪəl skˈuːl ʌv mˈɪlətˌɛɹi ˌɛndʒɪnˈɪɹɪŋ ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi ænd ɐn ɪnstɹˈʌktɚɹ æt ðɪ ˈɪndiən ˈɑːɹmi stˈæf kˈɑːlɪdʒ ɪn kwˈɛɾə ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi fˈoːɹ.
Playfair became officer commanding the Gentlemen Cadets of the Royal Marine Artillery in 1920, attending the Staff College, Camberley from 1929 to 1930, chief instructor in field works and bridging at the Royal School of Military Engineering in 1930 and an instructor at the Indian Army Staff College in Quetta in 1934.