Richards akagadzwa kuva lieutenant muHampshire Regiment musi wa 8 Zvita 1886, uye akashanda ne1st Battalion muBurmese Expedition 1887-89, kwaakakuvadzwa zvishoma. Akasimudzirwa kuva kaputeni musi wa 14 Chikunguru 1893, uye akazoendeswa ku2nd Battalion, kwaakashanda muHondo yechipiri yeBoer kubva muna 1900 kusvika muna 1902. Mushure mekusvika muSouth Africa mukutanga kwa1900, akatora chikamu muhondo dzePaardeberg
(February 1900), Poplar Grove (7 March 1900), Karee, Brandfort uye de Vet uye Zand Rivers; uye kubatwa kwemaguta makuru eBoer Bloemfontein (March 1900) nePretoria (June 1900). Akanga ari Mutungamiri weDunhu kuHoopstad kubva muna Chikumi 1900 kusvika muna Kubvumbi 1901, akataura nezvake mumatare uye akagamuchira Mambokadzi weSouth Africa Medal (ane zvigunwe zvitatu). Mushure mekupera kwehondo mukutanga kwaJune 1902, akabva kuCape Town ari mungarava ye "SS Orotava", ndokusvika kuSouthampton mwedzi wakatevera. Kubvira muna November 1902 aiva adjutant we5th (Isle of Wight Princess Beatrice's) Volunteer Battalion yeHampshire Regiment.