 Richmond joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1885, serving on the Australian Station and in the Hydrographic Service before qualifying as a torpedo officer in 1897.He began to develop a serious interest in naval history while serving in in 1897–98, in 1899, and in 1899–1900, turning himself into a first-rate historian without formal university training.In 1900–1903 Richmond served in the flagship of the Channel Fleet .