Major-General Robert Francis Firth was born in the Parish of Winterbourne Stapleton, Dorset and educated at Dorchester Grammar School and the Notre Dame School, Tournai, Belgium. Nominated for a Cadetship in the Bengal Infantry in late 1854, he was appointed an Ensign in the 65th Bengal Native Infantry (afterwards the 10th B.N.I.) in May 1855, gaining advancement to Lieutenant in June 1857. Subsequently seconded for service under Major-General von Straubenzee in the China War, 1858-60, he returned to his Regiment as Adjutant in March 1864 and was appointed to the Bengal Staff Corps in September 1866. Advanced to Captain in March 1867, Major in May 1875 and Lieutenant-Colonel in March 1881, Firth became Commandant of his Regiment in January 1882. His subsequent service in the Burma operations must have been brief, for having been promoted to Colonel in March 1885, he returned to the U.K. on a two year furlough in October of the same year. Firth retired as a Major-General in August 1887 and died at Bournemouth in March 1910.