Bruce was born in Stoke Damerel, Devonport, Devon, the son of Commander Sir Thomas Bruce, who later became Superintendent of Packets at Dover. He followed his father into the Navy as a Cadet at HMS "Britannia" in 1875. His first sea service was in HMS "Black Prince", flagship of the Channel Squadron and the second ironclad battleship in the Royal Navy. He then joined the frigate HMS "Raleigh" in the Mediterranean as a Midshipman, followed by HMS "Monarch", the first turret ship, from November 1879, taking part in the Anglo-Egyptian War of 1882. He was promoted Sub-Lieutenant in June 1882, went to the Royal Naval College, Greenwich in August 1882, and in 1883 was appointed to the gunboat HMS "Swinger" in Australia. He remained in her until 1887, having been promoted Lieutenant in December 1884. In February 1888 he joined the cruiser HMS "Porpoise" on the China Station and in August 1891 he went to the sloop-of-war HMS "Beagle" on the North American Station. In January 1894 he was appointed gunnery officer of the cruiser HMS "Marathon" on the East Indies Station, did the gunnery course at HMS "Excellent", and in 1897 joined the cruiser HMS "Sirius", carrying relief crews out to the Mediterranean.