Lieutenant William Arthur McCrae Bruce, VC, 59th Scinde 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 19 Dec 1914, during a night attack at Givenchy, near La Bassée, France, Lieutenant Bruce was in command of a small party which captured one of the enemy trenches. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for the action. The citation states:
"For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. On the 19th December, 1914, near Givenchy, during a night attack Lieutenant 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 Lieutenant Bruce that his men were able to hold out until dusk, when the trench was finally captured by the enemy".
He was shot in the chest and died instantly. His Victoria Cross was presented to his mother by Lieutenant Governor of Jersey, Major General Sir Alexander Wilson on 13 Mar 1920.
He is also commemorated on the Victoria College WW1 memorial at Mont Millais, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands (see: https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/270188/). A House in Victoria College is named after him.
"For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. On the 19th December, 1914, near Givenchy, during a night attack Lieutenant 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 Lieutenant Bruce that his men were able to hold out until dusk, when the trench was finally captured by the enemy".
He was shot in the chest and died instantly. His Victoria Cross was presented to his mother by Lieutenant Governor of Jersey, Major General Sir Alexander Wilson on 13 Mar 1920.
He is also commemorated on the Victoria College WW1 memorial at Mont Millais, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands (see: https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/270188/). A House in Victoria College is named after him.
Lieutenant William Arthur McCrae Bruce, VC, 59th Scinde 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 19 Dec 1914, during a night attack at Givenchy, near La Bassée, France, Lieutenant Bruce was in command of a small party which captured one of the enemy trenches. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for the action. The citation states:
"For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. On the 19th December, 1914, near Givenchy, during a night attack Lieutenant 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 Lieutenant Bruce that his men were able to hold out until dusk, when the trench was finally captured by the enemy".
He was shot in the chest and died instantly. His Victoria Cross was presented to his mother by Lieutenant Governor of Jersey, Major General Sir Alexander Wilson on 13 Mar 1920.
He is also commemorated on the Victoria College WW1 memorial at Mont Millais, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands (see: https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/270188/). A House in Victoria College is named after him.
"For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. On the 19th December, 1914, near Givenchy, during a night attack Lieutenant 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 Lieutenant Bruce that his men were able to hold out until dusk, when the trench was finally captured by the enemy".
He was shot in the chest and died instantly. His Victoria Cross was presented to his mother by Lieutenant Governor of Jersey, Major General Sir Alexander Wilson on 13 Mar 1920.
He is also commemorated on the Victoria College WW1 memorial at Mont Millais, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands (see: https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/270188/). A House in Victoria College is named after him.
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