He volunteered for the British Army in January 1916, for the Great War; however, he was rejected on health grounds, being half-blind in one eye.
hiː vˌɑːləntˈɪɹd fɚðə bɹˈɪɾɪʃ ˈɑːɹmi ɪn dʒˈænjuːˌɛɹi nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪkstiːn, fɚðə ɡɹˈeɪt wˈɔːɹ; haʊˈɛvɚ, hiː wʌz ɹᵻdʒˈɛktᵻd ˌɔn hˈɛlθ ɡɹˈaʊndz, bˌiːɪŋ hˈæfblˈaɪnd ɪn wˈʌn ˈaɪ.