In 1915, during the First World War, Hogarth was commissioned with the temporary rank of lieutenant commander in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve[9] and joined the Geographical Section of the Naval Intelligence Division. Professor Hogarth was appointed the acting director of the Arab Bureau, for a time during 1916 when Sir Mark Sykes went back to London. Kinahan Cornwallis was his deputy.[citation needed] Hogarth was close with T. E. Lawrence and worked with Lawrence to plan the Arab Revolt.[10]