While at Winchester College, Awdry was part of the Cadets there, he later entered the
Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry with the rank of
2nd lieutenant in 1928. On 8 March 1932, he was promoted from 2nd lieutenant to
lieutenant, along with the
Viscount Weymouth who also served in the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry at the time. He was promoted to
captain on 14 May 1938. Awdry would later serve in
World War II. During the conflict, he was awarded the "
Efficiency Decoration" in August 1944 for over twelve years in the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry, which formed a part of the
Territorial Army. He was promoted to
major on 1 June 1945. In 1956, he exceeded the age limit at which one could be part of the Territorial Army Reserve of Officers, and was removed from the reserve on 1 December, retaining the rank of major. At some point he received the
Territorial Decoration. ==Personal life==