Richard Hector Carter was born on board HMS Royal Adelaide at Devonport on 31 December 1882, the eldest son of the late Rear-Admiral Richard Carter by his wife Alicia Loftus Carter (née Tottenham), daughter of the late Commander John Francis Tottenham RN. He was educated at Kelly College, Stubbington House School near Fareham and John Smyth’s School, Portsmouth.

Richard entered the Royal Navy on 31 December 1899, went on to serve in China during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900 and was appointed Assistant Paymaster in December 1903, Secretary to Rear-Admiral Sir Robert Arbuthnot in 1913 and Paymaster in March 1916. He fought in the Great War between 1914 and 1916, and was killed in action on board HMS Defence on 31 May 1916 at the Battle of Jutland. He is remembered at Panel 10, Plymouth Naval Memorial.