Sergeant George Smith was born in Dudley, Worcestershire and enlisted in 1800, aged 20 years. He served with the Regiment in the Peninsular War and received the Military General Service Medal with clasps for 'Nivelle' and 'Nive'. Smith was next employed in Lieutenant-Colonel The Hon. J.H. Stanhope's Company in the Waterloo Campaign, and was discharged in 1820 as a consequence of rheumatism contracted in service.