On September 1, 1939, England declared war on Nazi Germany. Canada did the same ten days later. R.B. made sure that Beaverbrook knew that he was willing to do all he could to help. In November of 1939 R.B. was appointed Chairman of the London Advisory Committee of the Canadian Red Cross.
e also represented the British government on the board of a munitions manufacturer. R.B. also traveled back to Canada to conduct a cross-Canada speaking tour to encourage all Canadians to support the war effort and young men to enlist.
Once back in England, R.B. became Beaverbrook's assistant at the Ministry of Aircraft Production under Winston Churchill's government. This involved acting as a member of several boards of directors, often providing valuable knowledge and advice on areas like manufacturing efficiency and purchasing and shipping of raw materials.
