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Lt. William Arthur McCrae Bruce VC
British Indian Army 59th Scinde Rifles
(d.19th Dec 1914)
William Bruce died on the 19th of December 1914, aged 24, he is commemerated on the Neuve Chapelle Memorial in France. He was the son of Col. Andrew McCrae Bruce, C.B., and Margaret Hay Bruce, of La Fontaine Pontac, Jersey.
An extract from The London Gazette, dated 4th Sept., 1919, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. On the 19th December, 1914, near Givenchy, during a night attack, Lt. Bruce was in command of a small party which captured one of the enemy's trenches. In spite of being severely wounded in the neck, he walked up and down the trench, encouraging his men to hold on against several counter-attacks for some hours until killed. The fire from rifles and bombs was very heavy all day, and it was due to the skilful disposition made, and the example and encouragement shown by Lt. Bruce that his men were able to hold out until dusk, when the trench was finally captured by the enemy."
