He served with distinction during the Second World War and organised the administration of British forces deployed in response to the Mau Mau Uprising in Kenya and later in his career provided advice to the British government on the response to the early stages of The Troubles in Northern Ireland.

[1] In this role he was responsible for organising the division's logistical support, a post he held during the early stages of the Western Desert campaign, fought mainly against the Italians, and for which he was later to be mentioned in dispatches, once in April 1941,[5] and again in July.

[8] His performance as a staff officer during this period was recognised with his being awarded the Military Cross in September 1942,[9] a month after his promotion to the temporary rank of lieutenant colonel at the relatively young age of twenty-seven.

[10] He led his brigade in the remainder of the fighting in Normandy and then throughout the subsequent campaign in North West Europe which followed until the German surrender in May 1945.

[2] Carver became a Technical Staff officer to the Ministry of Supply in 1947,[8] and having been promoted to the substantive rank of major on 31 January 1948,[14][10] he became Assistant Quartermaster-General (Plans) at Headquarters Allied Forces Central Europe in May 1951[15] and then head of the exercise planning staff at SHAPE in October 1952.

[18] He was then elevated to Chief of Staff in East Africa in October 1955 and appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath on 8 March 1957.

[26] After being advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in the 1970 Birthday Honours,[27] he was appointed Chief of the General Staff (CGS) on 1 April 1971[28] in which role he provided advice to the British government on the response to the early stages of The Troubles in Northern Ireland.

[32] In August 1977 he was appointed resident commissioner designate for Rhodesia with responsibility for ending the dispute over independence there but resigned after fourteen months of deadlock.