The fifth son of William Cuthbert of Beaufront Castle in Northumberland, Gerald was privately educated, and attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst [REF].
He served extensively during the Boer War, seeing action at Belmont, Enslin, Modder River, Magersfontein, Poplar Grove, Dreifontein, Vet River, Zand River, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Diamond Hill, Riet Vlei, and Belfast.