He was born in London as Herbert Meade, the third son of the then Baron Gillford, who later became, in 1879, The 4th Earl of Clanwilliam, later Admiral of the Fleet, and Elizabeth Henrietta Kennedy.

In November 1902, he was posted to the battleship HMS Venerable, as she received its first commission going to the Mediterranean Fleet.

In 1912 he was given command of HMS Goshawk which took part in the Battle of Heligoland in 1914 and was instrumental in the sinking of the German destroyer V187.

[2] From April 1918 to April 1919 he was the Naval Assistant to the Second Sea Lord and then took command for a short time of the battlecruiser HMS Renown before being appointed for three years as Captain of the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth (1923–26).

The youngest son, John Herbert Meade, succeeded his cousin as the 7th Earl Clanwilliam.