Richard commanded soldiers on operations at every rank from Second Lieutenant to Colonel in environments as disparate as Albania, Afghanistan, Cote d’Ivoire and the Balkans. In 1995 and surrounded by the advancing Bosnian Serb Army in the exposed enclave of Gorazde with his company, they prevented the fall of the Town and saved the people from the fate of neighbouring Srebrenica. For his part in this he was awarded the Military Cross. In 1999, he led a discreet intelligence operation charged with undermining the main criminal gangs operating out of Albania and into Kosovo, preventing weapons, people and drugs smuggling and organised crime.
In 2007 he took his battle group from ceremonial duties to Helmand in 6 weeks and occupied Gereshk, driving back the Taliban and securing the erstwhile financial capital of the Province and setting the conditions for the development of the town. He was appointed an OBE for this tour. He retired from the Army in 2010 having been responsible for all pre-deployment training for UK forces bound for Iraq and Afghanistan for 3 years. Since retiring from the Army he was worked at Director level for Thales, New Century, The Inspirational Development Group and now runs his own consultancy operating in both public and private sectors.
