While posted with the British Army in India, during World War II, Percy Johnson-Marshall was General Secretary to the Service Arts and Technical Organization (SATO) from 1943 until his repatriation in 1945. While he was in post SATO achieved its aim of setting up their own polytechnic to train army personnel in a variety of technical skills. These included aspects of the building trade, to ensure that returning British troops had the required skills to undertake employment in post-war reconstruction. The polytechnic also enrolled army personnel who held Indian or Burmese nationality to improve available skills for local reconstruction. This was run by the 12th Army and based in Burma. Percy Johnson-Marshall kept a number of files concerning the development and opening of the polytechnic as well as the course which it offered.