After early service as a subaltern in Rodney and Revenge, James Moulton volunteered for the F.A.A and qualified as a Torpedo pilot in 1931 after which he served in squadrons in Glorious and Eagle. At one time two other RM pilots were with him in Glorious, N.R.M. Skene and W.S. North and there is a photograph showing all three in formation over the Grand Harbour, Malta.

On return to Corps Duty he qualified at Staff College and his subsequent career on the staff and in 48 Cdo. Normandy and Holland, 4 Cdo Bde., 3 Cdo Bde., as MGRM Portsmouth and finally as Chief of A.W. is well known.
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He wrote several books on military subjects and is an acknowledged authority on defence matters.
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Whilst MGRM Portsmouth, assisted by two of his Staff Officers, Colonel F.D.G. Bird and Major "Skeets" Harris, both of them pilots, he launched the idea of the Commando Carrier and the subsequent evolution of the Brigade Air Squadron.