Returning to Britain, he worked as a journalist on regional newspapers in Lancashire, and wrote an unpublished novel.

He volunteered to join the Fleet Air Arm before the Second World War broke out, but was rejected as being colour blind.

[1] He was instead conscripted into the British Army in 1940, and commissioned into the King's Royal Rifle Corps, serving in Italy, north-west Europe, and Germany.

[1] Shortly after he was commissioned, and without any previous experience, he successfully defended a soldier on a charge of desertion at a court-martial.

After pupillage under Martin Jukes, he joined a set of chambers specializing in personal injury cases, before joining John Widgery's chambers at 3 Temple Gardens in 1950, where he specialized in local government and planning law.

The trial was marred by Bridge's health: at various points it was interrupted to allow him to see a dentist, for treatment for acute gastritis, and for lunchtime naps on his doctor's orders.

As a result of the trial, Bridge was added to the IRA's hit-list, and his house came under constant police protection.

In that capacity, he reported on the Geoffrey Prime and Michael Bettaney spying cases; he also led a review in vetting arrangements for Buckingham Palace staff.

In retirement, he studied mathematics with the Open University, obtained a Bachelor of Science in 2003, aged 86.