William Bruce

He held a captured trench despite wounds until he was killed

William Arthur McCrae Bruce was born in Edinburgh on 15 June 1890. His family later settled in Jersey, where he attended Victoria College. He entered Sandhurst in 1908 and was commissioned in 1910. After an initial attachment to the Northumberland Fusiliers in India, he joined the 59th Scinde Rifles in 1911 and became a lieutenant the following year.

At the outbreak of war Bruce was on leave in Britain. He rejoined his regiment on its journey west, reaching France in September 1914 and fighting at La Bassée. On 19 December near Givenchy, he commanded a small party that captured a German trench. Although severely wounded in the neck, he continued moving among his men, encouraging resistance and organising their defence against repeated counter-attacks. He was killed during the fighting; his men held until dusk.

Bruce died in the action, so there was no subsequent career. The surviving evidence of his conduct emerged after captured officers returned from the war, leading to a posthumous Victoria Cross. His body was not recovered. His mother received the decoration in Jersey in March 1920.

Official Victoria Cross citation

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.

Fourth Supplement to The London Gazette of 2 September 1919. 4 September 1919, Numb. 31536, p. 11206