Nickname(s) Ranji Rank Gunner Awards Military Medal | Name Randolph Bruce Years of service 1916–1918 Allegiance Australia | |
Service/branch Artillery Australian Army Battles/wars First World War
Western Front Died December 29, 1957, Brighton, Australia Battles and wars Western Front, World War I Unit 27 Infantry Battalion, First Australian Imperial Force | ||
Randolph Roy Bruce, (1 December 1897 – 29 December 1957) was an Australian recipient of the Military Medal during the First World War.
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Early life
Bruce was born in Adelaide, South Australia to CJP and Anna Bruce and attended Norwood High School before becoming a clerk in the South Australian Railways.
Enlistment
Enlisting on his 18th birthday as part of the 10th reinforcement of the Adelaide-based 27th Battalion (Australia), he embarked for overseas duty on the HMAT "Mongolia" from Adelaide on 9 March 1916, arriving in France on 25 June. At first mustered Gunner in the 5th Divisional Armoured Column, he was transferred to 5th Division Artillery HQ and assigned clerical duties in the field. In November 1917 he was mustered Driver and in August 1918 rejoined his unit as a Gunner.
Military Medal
During the attack on Bullecourt in the Battle of Arras, Bruce took an ammunition dray in front of enemy lines to an isolated pocket of Australian soldiers, a deed for which he was awarded the Military Medal (gazetted 15 September 1919).
Later life
His mother died in the Spanish influenza epidemic when Bruce was in transit back to Australia. He returned to his work at the railways, moved to seaside Brighton for a lung complaint contracted in the war, and died there in 1957 after having risen to the role of Chief Paymaster at the SAR.