Bradford was commissioned into the 5th Battalion,
Durham Light Infantry (a
Territorial Force unit) in 1910. He transferred to the
Regular Army in 1912, joining his regiment's 2nd Battalion with the rank of
second lieutenant. He was a
lieutenant by the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. He was awarded the
Military Cross in February 1915. On 1 October 1916, Bradford, now a
temporary lieutenant colonel commanding the 9th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, was awarded the
Victoria Cross (VC) for his actions at
Eaucourt L'Abbaye, France. His citation for the award was published in the
London Gazette on 25 November, reading:
Promotion and death On 13 November 1917, at the age of 25, he was promoted to the rank of temporary
brigadier general; he was the youngest
general officer in the
British Army of modern times (and the youngest promoted professionally, earlier young generals were simply due to position). He was
killed "by a stray German shell" at
Cambrai, France, seventeen days later, on 30 November 1917. All three of Bradford's brothers also served in the First World War. Two, Lieutenant Commander George Bradford of the
Royal Navy and Second Lieutenant James Barker Bradford, also of the Durham Light Infantry, died in service. George and Roland were the only pair of brothers to be awarded the VC in the First World War. His third brother, Colonel Sir Thomas Bradford, became honorary treasurer of
Durham University and High Sheriff of County Durham in 1941. ==Legacy==