He was later the commander of the minesweeper HMNZS Kiwi which, with her sister ship Moa, sunk the Japanese submarine I-1 off Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.

[1] The next month a group of RNVR personnel, including Bridson, were dispatched to England to serve in the Royal Navy.

After initial working up in Scotland, Kiwi accompanied a convoy that departed on 1 January 1942 to cross the North Atlantic to Newfoundland.

[6] In the 1942 King's Birthday Honours, Bridson was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his leadership the previous year as commander of Walnut.

At the time of the arrival of the Bird ships in New Zealand, the flotilla was operating in the waters around Fiji but in August 1942 was dispatched on anti-submarine duties around Noumea.

The Kiwi repeatedly rammed the submarine while firing point blank with its own 4-inch gun and an unofficial 20-mm Oerlikon that had been installed on its bow while stationed at Noumea.

[1] Once back in Auckland, the crew of the Kiwi paraded down Queen Street to the city's town hall, where a civic reception was held in recognition of their exploits in sinking the I-1.

[9][10] For his role in the destruction of the Japanese submarine, Bridson was awarded the Distinguished Service Order[11] and the United States Navy Cross.

[13] In April 1945, he was appointed as an honorary aide de camp to the Governor-General of New Zealand, Sir Cyril Newall.

[1] Returning to civilian life, Bridson moved to Te Aroha, in the North Island and became involved in the hardware trade.