Kammala wannan jumla: An haifi ɗan Rear Admiral George Knyvet Wilson da Agnes Mary Wilson (née Yonge), Wilson ya yi karatu a Kwalejin Eton kafin ya shiga Royal Navy a matsayin mai kula da jirgin ruwa na biyu a shekara ta 1855. Ya kasance a yakin Kinburn a watan Oktoba 1855 a lokacin yakin Crimean. An canja shi zuwa HMS "Raleigh" na hudu a kan tashar China a watan Satumbar 1856 sannan kuma, bayan asarar "Raleigh" a kusa da Hong Kong, an canja shi zuwa HMS "Calcutta" na biyu kuma ya ga aikin a matsayin kwamandan bindiga a cikin rundunar sojan ruwa a
Yaƙin Canton a watan Disamba na 1857 sannan kuma a Yaƙin Taku Forts a watan Mayu na 1858 yayin Yaƙin Opium na Biyu. An nada shi zuwa jirgin ruwa mai suna HMS "Topaze" a kan tashar Pacific a watan Satumba na 1859 kuma an daukaka shi zuwa laftanar a ranar 11 ga Disamba, 1861. Bayan yawon shakatawa a cikin jirgin ruwa mai suna HMS "Gladiator", ya shiga makarantar makamai mai suna HMS "Excellent" a Portsmouth a watan Afrilu na shekara ta 1865. Ya zama mai koyarwa a sabuwar Kwalejin Jirgin Ruwa ta Japan a Yokohama a Japan a watan Mayu 1867 sannan kuma a sabon jirgin horo na HMS "Britannia" a watan Janairun 1869.