Pedzisa mutsara unotevera: Akadzidza paSt Peter's School, York, Eton College uye Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Malcolm akagadzwa muArgyll neSutherland Highlanders semutevedzeri wechipiri musi wa20 February 1889. Akasimudzirwa kuva lieutenant musi wa 23 August 1893. Muna 1896 akafamba naKaputeni Montagu Sinclair Wellby kuyambuka Tibet uye kuchamhembe kweChina. Akashanda nebato rechipiri pasi paSir William Lockhart muTochi Field Force kuNorth West Frontier yeIndia muna 1897. Mushure mekushanda muUganda, kwaakaitisa mabasa munyika yeShuli, akagadzwa kuva Companion weDistinguished Service Order (DSO) uye akasimudzirwa kuva kaputeni musi wa 21 Zvita 1898. Akashanda nevakakwira pamabhiza muhondo yechipiri yeBoer muSouth Africa kubva pakupera kwa1899, uye akatora chikamu mu
Hondo yePaardeberg muna February 1900, apo akakuvadzwa zvakakomba nepfuti muchidya chake.