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Sidney George Smith was born in Acock’s Green, Birmingham, and resided with his wife at Ormidale, Redhill Heights, Bournemouth. He was an auctioneer based in Bournemouth prior to the Great War, and had joined the Volunteer Cyclist Corps in 1889. 

He was commissioned in the 1/4th Volunteer Battalion, Hampshire Regiment (awarded the Volunteer Long Service Medal in August 1909), and subsequently transferred to the 1/7th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment (Territorial Force). Smith was serving with the latter in 1911, and was mobilised with them on 4 August 1914. 

He arrived with the Battalion in Bombay, India, from 9 November 1914. Smith, who had advanced to Major, led a Detachment to Bareilly in January 1916, before being appointed Commandant at Kasauli in April of the same year. He remained in that capacity until he was posted as Acting Lieutenant Colonel to take the command of the 2/7th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment (Territorial Force) in Mesopotamia in July 1917.

Colonel Smith died of heart failure aged 51, at Azizieh, on 8 October 1917. He is buried in the Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, Iraq.

British War and Victory Medals (Lt. Col. S. G. Smith.); Territorial Force War Medal 1914-19 (Major S. G. Smith. Hamps. R.); Coronation 1902; Coronation 1911; Volunteer Force Long Service Medal, E.VII.R. (Captain S. G. Smith. 4/V.B. Hants: Regt); Territorial Decoration, G.V.R.