World War I Victoria Cross Recipient. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, he served as a Lieutenant in the 59th Schinde Rifles, Frontier Force. He was the only son of Colonel Andrew Murison McCrae Bruce and Margaret Bruce (nee Hay), of La Fontaine, Pontac, Jersey. He was educated at Victoria College, St Helier, Jersey. Gentleman Cadet at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst (King's India Cadet). Commissioned into the Indian Army (unattached list) as a 2nd Lieutenant on 29 Jan 1910. He served with the 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers for his probationary year in India and was posted to the 59th Scinde Rifles on 8 Mar 1911. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 29 Apr 1912. He was at home on leave when the war began and joined his regiment in Cairo. They deployed from Jullundur (Jalandhar), Punjab, India to France at the start of WW1 with the Indian Expeditionary Force. On December 19, 1914, during a night attack at Givenchy, France, Lieutenant Bruce was in command of a small party which captured one of the enemy trenches. In spite of being wounded in the neck he walked up and down the trench encouraging his men to hold out against several counter-attacks until he was killed. Due to his example and encouragement, his men were able to hold out until dusk when the trench was finally captured by the Germans. For most prestigious gallantry, he was vested the Victoria Cross presented to his mother by Lieutenant Governor of Jersey, Major General Sir Alexander Wilson on March 13, 1920.
He is also commemorated on the Victoria College WW1 memorial at Mont Millais, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands and on the Indian Army WW1 memorial in the Royal Memorial Chapel, RMA Sandhurst, Camberley, Surrey Heath Borough, Surrey, England.
Cenotaph here
He is also commemorated on the Victoria College WW1 memorial at Mont Millais, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands and on the Indian Army WW1 memorial in the Royal Memorial Chapel, RMA Sandhurst, Camberley, Surrey Heath Borough, Surrey, England.
Cenotaph here
World War I Victoria Cross Recipient. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, he served as a Lieutenant in the 59th Schinde Rifles, Frontier Force. He was the only son of Colonel Andrew Murison McCrae Bruce and Margaret Bruce (nee Hay), of La Fontaine, Pontac, Jersey. He was educated at Victoria College, St Helier, Jersey. Gentleman Cadet at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst (King's India Cadet). Commissioned into the Indian Army (unattached list) as a 2nd Lieutenant on 29 Jan 1910. He served with the 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers for his probationary year in India and was posted to the 59th Scinde Rifles on 8 Mar 1911. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 29 Apr 1912. He was at home on leave when the war began and joined his regiment in Cairo. They deployed from Jullundur (Jalandhar), Punjab, India to France at the start of WW1 with the Indian Expeditionary Force. On December 19, 1914, during a night attack at Givenchy, France, Lieutenant Bruce was in command of a small party which captured one of the enemy trenches. In spite of being wounded in the neck he walked up and down the trench encouraging his men to hold out against several counter-attacks until he was killed. Due to his example and encouragement, his men were able to hold out until dusk when the trench was finally captured by the Germans. For most prestigious gallantry, he was vested the Victoria Cross presented to his mother by Lieutenant Governor of Jersey, Major General Sir Alexander Wilson on March 13, 1920.
He is also commemorated on the Victoria College WW1 memorial at Mont Millais, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands and on the Indian Army WW1 memorial in the Royal Memorial Chapel, RMA Sandhurst, Camberley, Surrey Heath Borough, Surrey, England.
Cenotaph here
He is also commemorated on the Victoria College WW1 memorial at Mont Millais, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands and on the Indian Army WW1 memorial in the Royal Memorial Chapel, RMA Sandhurst, Camberley, Surrey Heath Borough, Surrey, England.
Cenotaph here
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
Inscription
59TH SCINDE RIFLES
LIEUTENANT
V.C. BRUCE W.A. McC.
Gravesite Details
Final resting place unknown. Name listed on the Memorial
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