Oxley was educated at
Eastbourne College and the
Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, from where he was commissioned into the
Royal Engineers in July 1911. Later he was promoted to lieutenant in 1913. Oxley served in Egypt, on the
Macedonian front and in
Palestine and Egypt during the
First World War. Oxley attended the
Staff College, Camberley, from 1925 to 1926, where the Australian
Sydney Rowell was a classmate. He was promoted major in 1926 and lieutenant-colonel in 1931. Afterwards Oxley was
military attaché at
Belgrade, a post he held from May 1929 until 1932. Oxley was promoted colonel in 1934. In 1937 he was assistant adjutant and quartermaster-general for the British
Military Mission to Egypt. Oxley became a local brigadier in 1939. during his time with the Allied Control Commission. Between 1939 and 1940, during the
Second World War, Oxley was assistant adjutant and quartermaster-general in
Malta and in 1940–1941 commanding officer of the Northern Brigade there. In 1942 Oxley served as commanding officer of the 7th Infantry Brigade. In 1942–1943 he was deputy director of military training in the
War Office. During 1943–1944 he became a general officer commanding in Malta. During 1944–1947 Oxley served as a member of the
Allied Control Commission in
Bulgaria. He tried to resist the growing Soviet influence in the country, but did not receive support from London. In 1948 Oxley was retired. Afterwards he went to live in
Charminster, near
Dorchester, where he farmed. ==References==