Gerald Millner Smyth
Gerald Millner Smyth (c1871-1934)
1934 Obituary [1]
Capt. GERALD MILLNER SMYTH, D.C.M., had been engaged in mining engineering on the Rand for many years. He was a native of Dublin, where he served a five years' apprenticeship, commencing in 1886, to Mr. S. F. Roberts, engineer and millwright. He then spent two years on general shipyard work with Messrs. Harland and Wolff, Belfast, and in 1894 he joined the Union Steam Ship Company, Southampton, as junior engineer.
In 1896 he left for South Africa, where he became an electrician at the Kampers Dam Mines at Kimberley. After a further period at Kimberley with Messrs. de Beers, he took up mining engineering.
During the South African War he served with the Railway Pioneer Regiment, and was subsequently awarded the D.C.M. He was also mentioned by Lord Roberts for his services on railway bridge construction. In 1901 he was appointed chief engineer of the Geldenhuis Deep Mine, and four years later his services were engaged by Messrs. Rand Mines as a consulting mechanical engineer.
His retirement took place in 1930. During the War, Captain Smyth served for nearly three years in France with the Royal Engineers, as a tunnelling officer.
He was elected to Associate Membership of the Institution in 1904 and was transferred to Membership in 1906.
His death occurred in Durban on 13th January 1934, in his sixty-fourth year.