Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Amy CAVE, 1 Bowen Crescent, Melbourne, Victoria.

Second World War veteran Herbert Bruce Cave, known as Bruce, was born in Melbourne, Victoria, in 1925.

Bruce worked as an apprentice plumber before he enlisted in the Australian Army in April 1942 at just 16 years of age! Bruce put his age up to enlist because he didn’t think his dad would give him permission to go to war.

After his training as a signalman, Bruce was posted to Land Headquarters Signals in September 1942. In December, he was posted to 16 Line Section Signals, performing the vital role of upgrading and maintaining telegraph lines across Queensland and the Northern Territory. This was at a time when thousands of Australian and Allied troops were stationed across Australia’s north.  Bruce later served in New Guinea. His unit embarked at Brisbane in May 1945 and was sent to the large base at Lae, where Bruce conducted line  maintenance. He returned to Australia in December that year. Bruce was discharged from the Army in October 1946 and returned to work as a plumber. He says he valued the friends he made. Bruce advises younger serving members to ‘enjoy the mateship.’

Bruce married June in 1949 and they now have two daughters, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.
When Bruce was younger, he enjoyed camping holidays with his family and travelling with June to America to visit his brother and their daughter. Now, Bruce likes playing solitaire on his computer.

Bruce says he has no secret to his long life but that fresh air, always working outside, being physically active and having June look after him, could have helped!