Ku qor sii wadida cutubkan - Bruce wuxuu ku dhashay Stoke Damerel, Devonport, Devon, oo ah wiilka Taliyaha Sir Thomas Bruce, oo markii dambe noqday Kormeeraha Xirmooyinka Dover. Wuxuu raacay aabihii oo wuxuu galay ciidanka badda isagoo ahaa cadet HMS "Britannia" sanadkii 1875. Adeeggiisii ugu horeeyay ee badda wuxuu ahaa HMS "Black Prince", oo ah markabka ugu weyn ee Channel Squadron iyo markabkii labaad ee dagaalka ee Royal Navy. Kadib wuxuu ku biiray HMS "Raleigh" oo ku taal Badda Mediterranean-ka isagoo ah Midshipman, waxaana ku xigay HMS "Monarch", markabkii ugu horreeyay ee munaarad, laga bilaabo Nofeembar 1879, isagoo ka qayb qaatay Dagaalkii Ingiriiska iyo Masar
sanadkii 1882. Waxaa loo dalacsiiyay Taliye-hoosaad bishii Juun 1882, wuxuu aaday Royal Naval College, Greenwich bishii Agoosto 1882, waxaana 1883 loo magacaabay HMS "Swinger" ee Australia. Wuxuu ku sii jiray ilaa 1887, isagoo kor loogu qaaday Lieutenant bishii Diseembar 1884. Bishii Febraayo 1888 wuxuu ku biiray markabka HMS "Porpoise" ee ku yaal Saldhigga Shiinaha iyo bishii Agoosto 1891 wuxuu aaday HMS "Beagle" oo ku yaal Saldhigga Waqooyiga Ameerika. Bishii Janaayo 1894 waxaa loo magacaabay sarkaalka qoryaha ee markabka HMS "Marathon" ee saldhigga Bariga Hindiya, wuxuu ku qaatay koorsada qoryaha ee HMS "Excellent", 1897-kii wuxuu ku biiray markabka HMS "Sirius", isagoo u qaada shaqaalaha gargaarka ee Badda Dhexe.