he moved to victoria, british columbia in 1925 with his wife and their son, andrew. in 1926, she died giving birth to their second son, david. he served from 1926 to 1931 as aide-de-camp to the lieutenant governor of british columbia, robert randolph bruce. in 1931, he married bruce's niece, madge mackenzie, who had acted as her uncle's hostess. two daughters were the issue of this marriage.