Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Bruce Ernest LUKE was born in 1890 in Yass, New South Wales, Australia, to parents Victoria Catherine (nee FOX) and Reuben James LUKE.  Bruce was the third born of nine children.

A single, 25 year old farmer who was working on the family orchard "Digby" in Yass at the time, Bruce enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) at Casula, NSW, on 29th November 1915.  He was assigned the rank of Private, regimental number 4962, and allocated to the 15th Reinforcements for the 4th Infantry Battalion.  Following completion of his recruit training at the Liverpool Camp, on 8th March 1916, Bruce embarked in Sydney aboard HMAT Star of England, for active service overseas.  After arriving in Egypt, Bruce was taken on strength with the newly raised 56th Infantry Battalion on 20th April 1916, following the doubling of the AIF.  This Battalion, part of the 5th Division, was comprised of Gallipoli veterans from the 4th Battalion, and fresh reinforcements from New South Wales.

Following a brief period of further training in Egypt, the 56th Battalion embarked aboard HMT Huntsend in Alexandria for the Western Front on 21st June 1916, arriving in Marseille Harbour, France, about 0530hrs on 29th June.  Their first major battle was to be a baptism of fire, being involved in the Battle of Fromelles, on 19-20th July.  This came to be known as one of the biggest disasters in Australian military history, with the 5th Division suffering over 5,500 casualties in a period of just 24hrs.

On 16th September 1916, Bruce was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal.  He was further promoted to Corporal on 17th April 1917, and to Sergeant three months later.  Page 4 of Bruce's Service Record indicates that he was awarded the Military Medal on 20th November 1917, when the 56th Battalion were in Belgium.  This was promulgated in the Supplement to the London Gazette of 11th January 1918, and the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. 76 dated 23rd May 1918, on page 1124.  It is also mentioned in the 56th Infantry Battalion Unit War Diary of January 1918, on page 34.  Unfortunately, no citation to outline the circumstances of the award could be located.

Bruce was attached for duty as permanent cadre staff with the 14th Training Battalion in Codford, England, from 11th April 1918.  Following the end of the War, he marched out to the Australian Staging Camp in Abancourt, France, on 30th January 1919.

On 1st May 1919, Bruce embarked in Weymouth, England, aboard HMAT Orita for return to Australia, arriving in Sydney on 23rd June.  He was subsequently discharged in the 2nd Military District, Sydney, on 1st October 1919 due to the termination of his period of enlistment.  In addition to being awarded the Military Medal for his bravery in the field, Bruce also received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his service.

At the end of 1917, Bruce's parents left "Digby Orchard" in Yass, and following a short period living in Carrington Road, Coogee, moved to Penrose, in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales.  There, they lived on the 200 acre "Ashbank" property that included an established apple orchard.  In 1920, Bruce purchased a 60 acre Soldier Settlement property in nearby Moss Vale.

In 1926, Bruce married Louisa Maud TICKNER in Moss Vale.  Soon after, he went into partnership with two fellow WW1 Veterans, his brother-in-law Arthur Stansbury JOHNSTON, and his younger brother, Graham Spencer LUKE, in starting a retail grocery business in Penrose, known as "Johnston and Luke".  They later opened a second store in nearby Tallong.  They continued to trade in partnership until 1st July 1947, when the partnership was dissolved by mutual consent, but it appears that Bruce continued to carry on the business alone, until at least November 1954.

On Saturday 14th January 1939, bushfire virtually wiped out the township of Penrose, destroying the Johnston and Luke store, and "Ashbank", the family home of Bruce's parents.  Bruce's WW1 medals were among the possessions that were lost.  He later successfully applied to have them replaced, in 1941.

During WW2, Bruce took part in at least one Guard of Honour Parade, to welcome home local returned servicemen in Penrose.  He was also an outspoken critic of the government's treatment of Veterans, especially in not accepting that their medical condition was due to service, and refusing to grant pension payments as a result.

Bruce Ernest LUKE M.M. died in Moss Vale, New South Wales, on 17th August 1981.  He was 91 years old.  He was cremated at a private service four days later.

Compiled by Karan CAMPBELL-DAVIS from historical records kept by the National Archives of Australia (Service Record);  the Australian War Memorial (56 Infantry Bn Unit War Diaries);  Births, Deaths and Marriages NSW;  the Ryerson Index;  and various newspaper articles on Trove.