He had served in the local army reserve unit from 1934–1935 and later attended a five-week training course with the 2/58 Mounted Artillery Regiment at Oldenburg in 1938.
hiː hæd sˈɜːvd ɪnðə lˈoʊkəl ˈɑːɹmi ɹɪzˈɜːv jˈuːnɪt fɹʌm nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi fˈoːɹ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi fˈaɪv ænd lˈeɪɾɚɹ ɐtˈɛndᵻd ɐ fˈaɪvwˈiːk tɹˈeɪnɪŋ kˈoːɹs wɪððə tˈuː slˈæʃ fˈɪfti ˈeɪt mˈaʊntᵻd ɑːɹtˈɪlɚɹi ɹˈɛdʒɪmənt æɾ ˈoʊldənbˌɜːɡ ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi ˈeɪt.