Born in San Felice sul Panaro, Bergamini became a Guardiamarina (ensign) in 1908. He participated in the Italian-Turkish war as an officer on the armoured cruiser Vettor Pisani. During World War I, he was the chief of artillery on the cruiser Pisa. In 1918 he received a silver medal for his bravery during an operation off the coast of Albania. In the time between World War I and World War II, he rose to the rank of Ammiraglio di Divisione. In those years Bergamini was also the commander of the destroyer Giacinto Carini.