Gough joined the Royal Navy in 1862 and then transferred to 10th Royal Hussars in 1868. He was appointed aide-de-camp to the Commander-in-Chief, India in 1876 and then served in Afghanistan and Egypt before commanding 3rd Mounted Rifles for the Bechuanaland expedition in 1884. He became commanding officer of 18th Royal Hussars in 1889 and assistant adjutant for cavalry in 1893 before being made Lieutenant Governor of Jersey in 1904 and retiring in 1910.
