SKEFFINGTON SMYTH, GEOFFREY HENRY
JULIAN, Lieutenant, was born at 42 Portman Square, London, 11 December 1873,
youngest son of E Randal Skeffington Smyth, of Mount Henry, Portarlington, Ireland, Vice
Lieutenant for the Queen's County, late Lieutenant and Adjutant of the 28th
Regiment, in which he served and was wounded in the Crimean War. He was
educated at the Reverend E D Stone's Preparatory School, at Stonehouse,
Broadstairs, and at Eton College, and entered the 9th Lancers 29 May 1895,
becoming Lieutenant 4 July 1896. He served in the South African War,
1899-1901, and was severely wounded. He took part in the advance on
Kimberley, including the actions at Belmont, Enslin, Modder River and
Magersfontein, and the Relief of Kimberley; operations in the Orange Free
Slate, February to May 1900, including action at Karee Siding; operations in
the Transvaal in May and June 1900, including actions near Johannesburg,
Pretoria and Diamond Hill; operations in the Transvaal, west of Pretoria,
July to November 1900; operations in Orange River Colony, May to November
1900, including actions at Bethlehem and Wittebergen. It is believed
that Lieutenant Skeffington Smyth was recommended for the DSO for acts of
bravery in the field at the engagement at Quaggasfontein (Western
Transvaal), when his troop of the 9th Lancers, together with a party of
Kaffrarian Rifles, were heavily engaged, suffered severe losses, and were
finally, at the end of that day, surrounded by the enemy, having run out of
ammunition. No unwounded man was captured, however. Lieutenant Skeffington
Smyth received four wounds during the day, his leg being broken by the
second one. He went back for and returned with ammunition under heavy fire
(they were lying in the open within 600 yards of the enemy's position for
some six hours or more), and he succoured the wounded under heavy fire. He
says he doesn't know what he was mentioned in Despatches for, "unless it was
for doing my duty as a 9th Lancer should". He was mentioned in Despatches
[London Gazette, 10 September 1901]; received the Queen's Medal with six
clasps, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order
[London Gazette, 27 September 1901]: "Geoffrey Henry Julian Skeffington
Smyth, Lieutenant, 9th Lancers. In recognition of services during the
operations in South Africa". The Insignia were presented to him by the King
29 October 1901. He was promoted to Captain 3 June 1901, and retired 12
December 1906. He became General Staff Officer, 1st Grade, and for his
services during the European War was given the Brevet of Lieutenant Colonel
3 June 1919. He was made Chevalier of the Legion of Honour by the French.
"For the first 22 months of the present war," he says, "I was employed as
GS03 and GSO2 in the Military Operations (later Military Intelligence)
Branch at the War Office. From June to December I was on sick leave, and on
1 February 1917, went to the Intelligence Staff, GHQ, British Armies in
France. My pursuits before I received the wound, which broke my leg and
prevented my riding to any extent, were those of hunting, shooting, polo and
cricket, at none of which did I excel. I was a fair swordsman, and won
second prize in the ' Sword v Lance' competition at the Royal Military
Tournament in 1896, a year after I joined the 9th Lancers. I owned my first
motor-car in 1898". He married, in 1904, the Honourable Violet Frances
Monckton, daughter of the 7th Viscount Galway, and Vere, Lady of Justice of
the Order of St John of Jerusalem, only daughter of Ellis Gosling, of
Busbridge Hall, Godalming, Surrey, and they had three sons.
DSO, QSA (6) Bel
M-R RofK Joh Joh D-H Witt (Capt, DSO 9th Lancers), BWM, Victory
Medal with MID (Lt Col), 1935 Jubilee, 1937 Coronation, Legion dHonneur
(France) 4th Class, Croix de Guerre (France) with palm.
Spink 1967 £50.
DNW 2002 £4,900.
