[1] He joined the British Army in 1856, served in the Central Indian Campaign in 1857–58 and observed the Franco-Prussian War in 1870–71.

He became Private Secretary to the Viceroy of India in 1880, acted as British Military attaché in Paris between 1881 and 1882, and then became assistant Under-Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

He was made colonel commandant of the Royal Artillery in 1897, and promoted to the rank of a full general on 26 September 1901.

[5] Towards the end of his career Brackenbury was a patron of Robertson and helped arrange his appointment to do intelligence work at the War Office.

[1] Sir Henry Brackenbury Road, built on the former Joint Services School of Intelligence site in Ashford, Kent, is named after him.