Born on 4 April 1852, Edward Grove was educated at Bedford School. He received his first commission as a second lieutenant in the British Army in 1872, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant on 12 November 1873. He served in the First Boer War, in 1881, was promoted to the rank of captain in the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment on 13 April 1881, and received the brevet rank of major on 18 November 1882. He served during the Nile Expedition, between 1884 and 1885, and was promoted to the substantive rank of major on 19 January 1886. He served during the Anglo-Egyptian War, in 1892, and fought at the Battle of Tel el-Kebir. On 27 May 1896 he was appointed in command of the 2nd Battalion, Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment, and promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He commanded the battalion during the Second Boer War, arriving in South Africa with 1030 officers and men of the regiment on the "SS Bavarian" in April 1900. The battalion was part of the 17th Brigade, 8th Division, and stayed there until after the end of the war in 1902. During his stay in South Africa he was promoted to the rank of colonel on 19 August 1900. He was appointed Brigadier General commanding the 8th Brigade, 3rd Division, between 1905 and 1909. He served during the First World War, and was Commander of the 7th District between 1916 and 1918.