Edward Eden Bradford joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1872, He was promoted to Midshipman in 1876, and served aboard the screw-frigate
Doris, the screw-corvette
Danae and the iron screw-frigate
Raleigh. Bradford was then appointed sub-lieutenant on the survey schooner
Sandfly. Bradford joined the old ironclad
Achilles from 1881 to 1883 and took part in the
1882 Anglo-Egyptian War for which he was decorated. he was made acting-commander, on 20 January 1891. In 1886, Bradford won the
Royal United Services Institute's silver medal award for his essay,
The Maritime Defence of the United Kingdom (including its Colonies and Dependencies), and its Trade, in a War with a Great Maritime Power, which was published in the R.U.S.I. journal. From 1894 to 1896, Bradford served on
Boadicea, flagship of the East Indies Squadron as commander. ==Captain==