Ia tusia se faaauauga o lenei palakalafa - Na aʻoga Thomas i le Kingston Technical School, ona ia faia lea o se vasega i le tusitala i le South-West Essex Technical College i Walthamstow. I le 1949 na valaauina ai o ia mo le National Service ma amata ai se malaga e lua tausaga i Singapore ma le Royal Army Pay Corps. A o iai o ia i inā, sa aafia ai o ia mo sina taimi puupuu i gaoioiga a le ʻautau e faasagatau i le ʻaufusuʻaga a le malo i le taimi o faalavelave faafuaseʻi i Malaia
. Na amata foʻi ona ia tusia ni tala pupuu e lomia i nusipepa faa-Peretania.