Bland was born in London in 1789. His father, Dr. Robert Bland, was an obstetrician. Bland joined the Royal Navy in 1810 as a surgeon and served on HM sloop "Hesper". While in Bombay, India he got into an argument with another officer, Robert Case. He challenged Case to a duel with pistols on 7 April 1813, and Case was killed. Bland was found guilty of murder and sentenced to seven years prison in Van Diemen's Land.