BRUCE Ewen Cameron Lieut

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Surname: BRUCE;

Forename(s): Ewen Cameron;

Initials: EC;

Rank: Lieut;

Resided in: Cheltenham;

MGC Branch: Heavy Branch (Tanks);

MGC Unit: Unknown;

Awarded: MC, MID;

Gallantry Notes: MC: For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in salving tanks under heavy shell fire. He repaired and brought in two tanks which had been abandoned in full view of the enemy. By his energy resource and courage he has salved many other apparently hopeless tanks, to the value of many thousands of pounds and his personal example under shell fire and under most difficult conditions has raised the standard of salvage to a very high pitch.;

Other Data: The Looker-on(Cheltenham) 29/9/1917 "awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in salving tanks under heavy gunfire" PHOTOGRAPH

Chr & Graphic 29/9/1917: severely wounded 31/7/1917. Son of the late Alan C Bruce-Pryce and Mrs Bruce-Pryce of Abbeyholme, Cheltenham. PHOTOGRAPH

The Cheltenham & County Looker-on 1/5/1920 "The DSO has been conferred upon T/Major Ewen Cameron (Bruce), Tank Corps, of Cheltenham for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on 29/6/1919 when in command of a British Tank Corps Detachment operating againsy Tsaritsin. He went up in an aeroplane for reconnaisance purposes in connections with operations to be undertaken next dat and shot down an enemy observation balloon, thereby preventing the discovery of the Tank concentration by the enemy. On 30th June he led his Tank Detachment with skill and gallantry under heavy fire and later, when he found that the enemy were counter-attacking the right flank, he personally led three tanks into action and destroyed the counter-attack. He was largely responsible for the success of the operation and his gallant conduct was an example to the British and Russian Tank Corps"

LG 29/7/1921: "shall cease to be a member of the DSO by reason of General Court Martial. MC (awarded 17/9/1917) shall be cancelled by reason of GCM" (as a result of Robbery with aggravation 22/12/1920)

Bruce received the DSO for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in South Russia.....(paraphrasing)...at Tsaritsyn, June 29 1919, when in command of a British Tank Corps detachment. He was in an aeroplane on reconnaisance and shot down an enemy observation balloon, thereby preventing the enemy from discovering the Tank concentration. On June 30 he led his Tank detachment with skill and gallantry under heavy fire, and when attacked on the flank he personally led 3 tanks and repulsed the attack. His gallant conduct was an excellent example to the British and Russian Tank Corps.

DSO gazetted April 23 1920, MC Sep 17 1917. Both forfeited.

Major E.C. Bruce was accepted into the Auxiliary Division, R.I.C. on 3rd August 1920 and was given Auxiliary No. 154 and R.I.C. No. 72351. He was appointed Platoon Commander of No. 3 Platoon in "A" Company, which was the first Company formed while the the Division was still in Quarters at the Curragh Army Camp in Co. Kildare. In September 1920, "A" Company was posted to Inistioge, Co. Kilkenny and took over Woodstock House as their Headquarters. Shortly afterwards, an incident occurred and Major E.C. Bruce was accused of assaulting a civillian and forced to resign. According to Brig. General Crozier, the Commanding Officer of the Auxiliard Division, " I dismissed him as unsuitable for the Auxiliary Division, for striking a civillian without cause". In the light of the murders and violence that had occurred in Ireland up to this time, this offence seems relatively mild, but it ended his career in the Auxiliary Division.

Convicted of robbing £75 from a creamery and dismissed from the ADRIC. One note indicated he came back to Ireland following his dismissal and went on a robbing spree.;

Other Notes: MC: LG 17/9/1917
MID: LG 22/5/1917 (dated 9/4/1917) France
(NB: DSO 23/4/1920 - Tank Corps - Russia. Disk Ed.)
Order of the Rising Sun 4th Class (Japan) 1920;

END OF RECORD.

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