stˈɑːpfɚd tˈʊk pˈɑːɹt ɪnðə sˈɛkənd bˈoʊɚ wˈɔːɹ æz mˈɪlətˌɛɹi sˈɛkɹətɹi tə dʒˈɛnɚɹəl sˌɜː ɹˈɛdvɚz bˈʊlɚ ænd lˈeɪɾɚ mˈɪlətˌɛɹi sˈɛkɹətɹi tə ðə dʒˈɛnɚɹəl ˈɑːfɪsɚ kəmˈændɪŋ nˈeɪɾəl, fɔːɹ wˌɪtʃ hiː wʌz nˈaɪɾᵻd æz ɐ nˈaɪt kəmˈændɚɹ ʌvðɪ ˈɔːɹdɚɹ ʌv sənt mˈaɪkəl ænd sənt dʒˈɔːɹdʒ ɪn noʊvˈɛmbɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd.
Stopford took part in the Second Boer War as military secretary to General Sir Redvers Buller and later military secretary to the general officer commanding Natal, for which he was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in November 1900.