[1] He first saw active duty in Africa in 1879, when he served with his regiment in the Anglo-Zulu War, being mentioned in despatches and promoted to captain for his service at the Battle of Gingindlovu.

[2][6] In 1893, Hutton was named commandant of the military forces in New South Wales and promoted to the temporary rank of major general.

[7] Without informing Canada's Prime Minister, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Hutton published mobilization plans in the Canadian Military Gazette.

[7] Replying to a question in the Dominion House of Commons, Laurier said that the causes of the difference were that Hutton was insubordinate and indiscreet and deliberately ignored the authority of the Minister of Militia in the administration of his department.

[8] In early March 1900 Hutton left Southampton in the SS Tantallon Castle,[9] which arrived in South Africa later the same month.

He took up the post as Commander of the 1st Mounted Infantry Brigade, a formation made up of Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand troops.

He arrived in Australia in January 1902, and his main task became that of transforming six colonial forces into one national Australian Army.

[6] In 1904, Hutton promoted what was then a novel idea that Empire military attachés should be sent to witness the clash of Russian and Japanese forces in Manchuria.

[13] Australian sources reveal a nested array of factors affecting the mission of Colonel John Hoad, who was detached by the Deakin government to serve with the Imperial Japanese Army in 1904–1905.