George Harper was educated at Bath College and at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He was commissioned as a lieutenant into the Royal Engineers on 5 July 1884, and promoted to captain on 1 October 1892. In 1899 he was deployed to South Africa where he joined 37th Field Company Royal Engineers and saw action at Spion Kop, Val Kranz, Tugela Heights and Pieter's Hill. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in November 1900 for his service in South Africa.