Soon afterwards, he was engaged on active service in Holland. He took part in the Battle of Steenkirk on the 24th July 1692, the allied forces being commanded by King William III in person, the Duke of Marlborough, and other distinguished generals. Shortly afterwards, his name appears in the list of officers of the troop of Horse Grenadier guards embodied in 1693, as "Guidon and eldest Captain". His commission to this office bears date, at the Hague, 4th October 1693 and he was appointed lieutenant and elder captain of the troop of Grenadier guards, at Whitehall, on 1st March 1694. His subsequent promotion was rapid and his appointment as Brigadier General is dated 12th February 1711. Four years afterwards, Richard was appointed Colonel of the Carabineers from the Lieutenant-Colonelcy of the first troop of Horse Grenadier guards. This commission is dated 15th February 1715 but, six years later, General Waring retired from the service.

In 1722, General Waring purchased the manor of Thatcham in Berkshire and immediately set about the improvement of it. He built himself a large residence in a fine situation, called Dunstan House. It was a handsome mansion, brick, with stone corners and stone round the windows. It is described by Rocque as one of the most magnificent in the county. A park was formed around it and trees were planted - being in one part of the property laid out according to the lines of the troops in one of the battles in which the General had fought. There were two main entrances to the park, one from the south-west, still called the Avenue, starting from the road to Cold Ash; the other from the south-east, at a point along the Reading Road. Both these drives led up to the house in the direction of the large circular drive in front, as appears in an old illustration.

The General, with his wife and family, had not been long at Thatcham before disputes arose between him and the owner of the adjoining estate of Henwick, which at this time was in the possession of Sir Jemmet Raymond, it having been in his family for upwards of fifty years. Sir Jemmet claimed rights in respect of his manor (or reputed manor) of Henwick which General Waring considered were antagonistic to those of the lord of the manor of Thatcham. This was disclosed by the General's title-deeds and supported by the ancient testimony of old witnesses then living. The claims brought about a long and costly Chancery suit known as Raymond v. Waring, followed by a cross suit, in which the General was plaintiff and Sir Jemmet Raymond defendant.

In December 1737, the General died. He was buried in Thatcham Church, where his wife, who had predeceased him in 1730, was also interred.