Gamble joined the Royal Navy in 1870.[1] After serving in the Naval Intelligence Department at the Admiralty from 1893, he became commanding officer of the protected cruiser HMS Hyacinth in 1902, commanding officer of the armoured cruiser HMS Kent in 1903 and commanding officer of the battleshipHMS Canopus in 1905 before becoming commanding officer of the torpedo school HMS Vernon in 1907.[2]