flˈɛtʃɚ bɪɡˈæn tə stˈʌdi fɚɹən ɛkstˈɜːnəl lˈʌndən jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi dᵻɡɹˈiː, bˌʌt ðə wˈɔːɹ ˌɪntɚvˈiːnd ænd hiː dʒˈɔɪnd ðɪ ˈɑːɹmi.
Fletcher began to study for an external London University degree, but the war intervened and he joined the army.