The Queens Own Royal West Kent R

The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Private W T Bruce

Private William Thomas BRUCE, L/9864, 1st Battalion, "D" Company, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, killed in action, Neuve Chapelle, France and Flanders, 26th October 1914, age 21.

24th November 1893, born Woolwich, Kent, eldest Son of William Henry Bruce, (house decorator), and his wife Mary Ann Bruce, (daughter of William Booth), of 42, Sand Street, Woolwich, London.

Educated Maryon Park School, Woolwich.

10th August 1911, New Cross, enlisted into Royal West Kent Regiment, Special Reserve, Service No.8371, age 17 years & 6 months, height 5ft 5¾ inches, weight 111lbs, hazel eyes, brown hair, heart W.B. right forearm. Formerly saw mills labourer.

New Cross, Kent, enlisted, into Regular Army, age 18 years 1 month, height 5ft 6¾ inches, weight 124lbs, brown eyes, brown hair, heart W.B. right forearm. Formerly saw mills labourer.

Home 1st April 1912 to 13th August 1914; BEF 14th August 1914 to 269th October 1914.

1st April 1912, enlisted Royal West Kent Regiment; 4th April 1912, Dublin, joined Regiment; 24th May 1912, Dublin, drunk returning to Barracks at about 11.45pm, admonished; 2nd September 1912, Dublin, insubordination to Corporal Davies, 10 days confined to Barracks; 23rd July 1913 to 14th August 1913, Dublin Royal Infirmary, stomatitis; 23rd December 1913, appointed unpaid Lance Corporal; 30th January 1914, awarded 3rd Class Certificate of Education; 13th February 1914 to 18th February 1914, absent from midnight until surrendering at Depot KSLI, at Shrewsbury on 18th; 23rd February 1914, deprived of Lance Stripe.

His Company Quartermaster Sergeant wrote that 30 of the Company were ordered into the firing line and at 7.00am on 26th October, a heavy artillery bombardment began, and soon afterwards a shell came over and buried five of them, including Private Bruce; all attempts to dig them out failed, for as fast as the men went to do so, they were killed and the task had to be abandoned.

7th June 1919, Statement of Relatives - Father, W H Bruce, 42, Sand Street, Woolwich; Mother, Mary Ann Bruce, 42, Sand Street, Woolwich; Brother - A E Bruce, age 18, 42, Sand Street, Woolwich; Sisters - Lottie Bruce, age 32, 42, Sand Street, Woolwich; Catherine Bruce, age 30, 42, Sand Street, Woolwich; Mrs Ada Turner?, 82 Charlton Lane, Charlton; Rose Bruce, age 22, 42, Sand Sreet, Woolwich.

Commemorated at Le Touret Memorial, Panel 30 & 31, Pas de Calais, France.

This page was last updated on 23-May-2017.