at the same time he got more involved in the many royal visits to portsmouth. when haile selassie visited the dockyard in september 1937, he acted as his personal escort and french interpreter. during these years, young was also entrusted with what he later called "enquiries concerning the activities of subversive persons and propaganda, and also with other matters affecting state security" - looking for spies. it was also during these years that he acquired his passion for ever better police equipment and his personal love of new gadgets.