On 17 March 1918, McGlinn was promoted to temporary brigadier general and appointed Deputy Adjutant and Quartermaster General of all AIF Depots in the United Kingdom.

McGown reached the rank of Major holding the additional posts of Deputy Adjutant and Quartermaster-General.

He became commander of the 7th Dehra Dun Brigade in 1933, Deputy Adjutant & Quartermaster-General Eastern Command, India in 1939 and Commandant of the Staff College Quetta in 1937.

In 1940 he accepted a reduction in rank to become the Deputy Adjutant and Quartermaster General of I Corps.

Being one of only six staff college graduates in the Army, this made him in demand for staff duties and General Bridges immediately requested him for the 1st Division staff as Deputy Adjutant and Quartermaster General.

He briefly commanded the 25th Infantry Brigade upon its formation in the United Kingdom in June 1940 before serving as the Deputy Adjutant and Quartermaster General (DA&QMG) of I Corps.

He served in World War II initially as Deputy Adjutant and Quartermaster General for I Corps in which role he took part the Dunkirk evacuation.

In February 1915 Cobbe was appointed a Deputy Adjutant and Quartermaster General with temporary rank of Brigadier-General.

He was appointed Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General at Aldershot Command in 1927 and Deputy Adjutant & Quartermaster General at Eastern Command in India in 1929.

In 1853 he was made Deputy Adjutant and Quartermaster-General of the 2nd Division in South Africa and then Adjutant and Quartermaster-General at British Army Headquarters in South Africa.