having been commandant of the 11th cavalry (frontier force) between 1924 and 1928, strettell served as an assistant adjutant general in india between july 1928 and july 1929, a brigade commander from then until april 1932 and a brigadier general on the indian staff until december 1934. on 26 august 1934, he was promoted to major-general, and appointed deputy quarter master general and director of movements in india between july 1935 and february 1936. he was director of organisation in india from then until november 1936, when he became commander of the peshawar district. he retired in 1940, although he was brought back into active service as a group commandant of the prisoner of war camps in 1941. he was then director of demobilisation and reconstruction in indian (1941–43), before retiring for the last time in 1944.