Bligh was born in 1685, the son of Irish politician, Thomas Bligh and his wife Elizabeth née Napier. During his long service in the British army, he rose to the rank of Lieutenant General. In 1745, during the War of the Austrian Succession, as a Brigadier, he took over command of allied troops at the battle of Melle and led part of the defeated force to safety. He fought at Dettingen, Val, Fontneay, and Melle. He was also commander of the British troops at Cherbourg. In 1758 he was appointed to command the descents, at the age of seventy-three. He led an initial successful Raid on Cherbourg in August September 1758, capturing and destroying the town's fortifications. He then re-embarked and moved along the coast to St Malo. There, confronted with adverse weather conditions, they were able only to land some of their force, which was soon confronted by a larger French force with had hurriedly marched there from Brest. In the scramble to get his men back onto the ships, Bligh fought a confused rearguard action, the Battle of Saint Cast suffering between 750–1000 casualties before he was finally able to re-embark his men. They then sailed for England.