Admiral Sir Herbert Richmond was born on 15 September 1871, the son of Sir William Richmond, RA, KCB, and Clara Jane Richards; he was educated while serving on HMS Britannia. In 1907 he married Florence Elsa, daughter of Sir Hugh Bell, 2nd Baronet; they had one son and four daughters.

Richmond was made Lieutenant in 1893, Commander in 1903 and Captain in 1909; he commanded HMS Dreadnought, HMS Furious and HMS Vindictive, between 1909 and 1912, then served as Assistant Director of Operations from 1913 to 1915 and liaison officer with the Italian Fleet, in 1915. He commanded HMS Commonwealth, HMS Conqueror, and HMS Erin in the Grand Fleet, before becoming Director of Staff Duties and Training, in 1918. He was promoted to Rear-Admiral in 1920, and served as President of the Royal Naval War College, Greenwich, 1920-1923, Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Squadron, 1924-1925 and Commandant of the Imperial Defence College, 1927-1928. He was made a full Admiral in 1929, retiring in 1931.

Following his retirement, Richmond took the post of Vere Harmsworth Professor of Naval and Imperial History, at Cambridge University, 1934-1936, and was Master of Downing College, 1936-1946. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, a Trustee of the National Maritime Museum, a Membre Associé of the French Académie de Marine, and a Fellow of the British Academy. His honours included: KCB, 1926; CB 1921; MA; DCL (Hon.) 1939.

His publications include: papers relating to the Loss of Minorca; The Navy in the War, 1739-1948 (Chesney Gold Medal of RUSI, 1926); The Spencer Papers, volumes 3 and 4; Command and Discipline; National Policy and Naval Strength; Naval Warfare (1930); The Navy in India, 1763-1783 (1931); Economy and Naval Security (1931); Imperial Defence and Capture at Sea (1932); Naval Training (1933); Naval History and the Citizen (1934); Sea Power in the Modern World (1934); The Navy (1938); Amphibious Warfare in British Strategy (1941); British Strategy (1941); The Invasion of Britain (1941); Statesmen and Sea Power (1946).

Admiral Sir Herbert Richmond died on 15 December 1946.