Tuhia he haere tonu mo tenei pene - I te pakarutanga o te pakanga i te tau 1939, i tukuna a Zirnheld ki tetahi waahanga Défense Contre Avions (DCA) i Repanona. I ngana a Zirnheld ki te whakawhiti ki te mahi i roto i te ope Metropolitan i Parani, engari ko te Armistice
i hainatia i mua i te wa i taea ai e ia. Na ka rere a Zirnheld ki Palesitina i whakahaerehia e Ingarangi kia uru atu ki nga ope French Free. I whakawhiwhia ia ki te 1st Colonial Infantry Battalion hei tangata takitahi ka mahi i te Pakanga o Sidi Barani. Na tona maatauranga, i tukuna ia hei Kaiwhakahaere Tuarua mo te Tari Whakatupato me te Whakatairanga i Cairo. Ahakoa he tūranga "haumaru" tēnei, i tono ia kia tukuna ki mua. I tukuna ia ki te Kura Kaitono Kaitono i Brazzaville, French Congo, i reira i puta ai ia i te 5 o tana akomanga hei Kaitono (Brevet-Lieutenant).