Keith Noel Everal Bradfield was born 25 December 1910 in Gordon, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Keith was educated at both the University of Sydney (BSc, BE) and Oxford University (DPhil), becoming a Rhodes Scholar for New South Wales in 1935.
He became the Australian representative for the Council of International Civil Aviation Organisation in 1947. In 1952 he became the Director of Airports, Department of Civil Aviation Melbourne. In 1957 he became the Assistant Director-General. In 1968 he became an Australian Council member of the International Civil Aviation Organisation. From 1973 he worked as a Civil Aviation Adviser in Papua New Guinea.