[1] Bladon joined the Royal Naval Air Service in late 1917, soon after his 18th birthday, as a temporary probationary flight officer, and began his training at RNAS Cranwell.
[2] He was appointed a temporary flight sub-lieutenant on 29 January 1918,[3] and was awarded Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate No.
He was transferred to the RAF's unemployed list on 22 November 1919,[4] but on 12 December was awarded a short service commission with the rank of flying officer.
30 Squadron, subsequently receiving mentions in despatches from Lieutenant-General Sir Aylmer Haldane, the commander the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force, in September 1920[6] and October 1921.
42 Squadron, flying Vickers Vildebeest Mk.IV torpedo bombers from RAF Donibristle, Fife, Scotland.
[16] He was promoted to wing commander on 1 November 1938,[17] and on 29 December was posted to the Air Staff at the Deputy Directorate of Operations (Naval Co-operation).
[2] He was promoted to the temporary rank of group captain on 1 March 1941,[18] and was posted to the headquarters of Flying Training Command on 15 April 1942.
[19] In 1946 Bladon was appointed Commander of the RAF Base at Singapore, and later served as Staff Officer (Administration) at the Air Headquarters Malaya.
[23] Bladon became the first Commander of the Royal Ceylon Air Force on 2 March 1951, setting up his headquarters initially at the Galle Face Hotel.
[21] In 1952 the RCyAF consisted of eight officers and 100 airmen,[24] but by 1955 had its Headquarters and Maintenance Unit at Colombo, and flying units based at Katunayake and Diyatalawa operating Chipmunk, Balliol and Oxford aircraft, used both for training and also army co-operation operations and illicit immigration patrols.