 Pari gbolohun ti o tẹle: Wake lọ si Ile-ẹkọ giga Ogun Royal, Sandhurst lati ọdun 1896, ati lẹhin ti o kẹkọọ, o jẹ alakoso keji ni Kings Royal Rifle Corps KRRC ni Oṣu Kẹta Ọjọ 17, Ọdun 1897. Wake ṣiṣẹ ni South Africa lakoko Ogun Boer Keji lati 4 Kọkànlá Oṣù 1899. Wọn yàn án sí ọdọ àwọn òṣìṣẹ ní ọjọ kẹtàlá oṣù kẹta ọdún 1900, ní àkókò náà ni wọn ti gbé e ga sí ipò ọgágun. Wake je oluranlowo fun olori olori awon ologun Britani ni South Africa ni igba akọkọ Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts, nigbamii Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener lati 18 Oṣu Kẹta ọdun 1900 si 1 Oṣu Kẹta ọdun 1901. Iṣẹ tí wọn ń ṣe nílùú Wake : Ogun ti Colenso 15 December 1899, Ogun ti Spion Kop 2324 January 1900, Ogun ti awọn Tugela Heights 1427 February 1900 ati Ikunra ti Ladysmith 1 March 1900. O farapa ni iṣẹ lakoko ogun ati pe o tun darukọ lẹẹmeji ni awọn ifiranṣẹ ni ọjọ 3 Kínní ati 9 Oṣu Kẹta ọdun 1900. A fun Wake ni aṣẹ iṣẹ iyasọtọ ni Oṣu kọkanla ọjọ 29, ọdun 1900 ati, lakoko ogun yii, tun gba ami-idẹ idẹ ti Royal Humane Society fun fifipamọ igbesi aye. Pẹlupẹlu ti o ṣiṣẹ lori awọn oṣiṣẹ Roberts ni South Africa ni Major Henry Wilson, pẹlu ẹniti Wake yoo ni nkan ṣe ni iṣẹ rẹ nigbamii. 