Born on 25 November 1825 in Westminster and educated at Bedford School, Smyth was commissioned as second lieutenant in the Royal Artillery in 1843.[1] He served in the Crimean War and was present at the Siege of Sevastopol.[1] He became commandant of Woolwich garrison and military district in 1882 and General Officer Commanding the troops in South Africa in 1886.[1] In 1888 Smyth mustered an army of 2,000 troops and left for Zululand to put down a rebellion there.[2]