 In April 1916 he sailed for Marseilles and on 14 July 1916 the Battle of Delville Wood commenced.On 30 November 1916 he was appointed as general officer commanding, the 9th Scottish Division with the rank of major-general.In 1917 he was appointed as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) and awarded the Order of the Nile, 3rd Class by the Sultan of Egypt.