William Oliver (Chum ) BRUCE

BRUCE, William Oliver

Service Number: 593
Enlisted: Not yet discovered
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 2nd Machine Gun Battalion
Born: Karridale West Australia, 28 February 1897
Home Town: Fremantle, Fremantle, Western Australia
Schooling: Fremantle Boys School ,Western Australia
Occupation: Labourer
Died: Tuberculosis , Caulfield, Victoria, Australia , 4 September 1940, aged 43 years
Cemetery: Preston General Cemetery, Bundoora, Victoria
Memorials:
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World War 1 Service

29 Jun 1915: Involvement Private, 593, 28th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Ascanius embarkation_ship_number: A11 public_note: ''
29 Jun 1915: Embarked Private, 593, 28th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ascanius, Fremantle
15 Oct 1915: Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 593, 28th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, Injured Face Nose
21 Mar 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 593, 7th Machine Gun Company, Disembarked Marseilles for Service in France
28 Dec 1919: Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 593, 2nd Machine Gun Battalion, RTA Katoomba

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Biography contributed by Lorraine Barnes

Willliam Oliver Bruce's Birth Certificate states he was born at Karridale Saw Mill, Karridale West Australia on 28th February 1897 , the son of Elizabeth Margaret Bruce (nee Cherry) and Henry Bruce, a Mill Hand ,32 years old who had been born in Stepney England .

His parents separated. Both lived in Fremantle from about 1906 . It is likely William attended the same school, Fremantle Boys School, as his half brother Henry Bary Bruce always known as Harry Bruce .

His occupation on enlisting in WW1 on 13th March 1915 was Labourer .

Harry and William were members of 28th Infantry Battalion AIF departing on HMAT Ascanius from Fremantle on 29th June 1915 for Egypt and then serving as Machine Gunners at Gallipoli .

William suffered a wound to his nose at Gallipoli in October 1915, was treated by 7th Field Ambulance and returned to duty there . 

He later served in France with 7th Machine Gun Company as a Driver . His brother Harry , a Gunner with the same Company .

William left France going to Military Hospital in Chichester in England in October 1918 .

Whilst in England he met Amy Maud Quenelle . They married in Bath on 24th May 1919 .

William returned to Australia on the "Katoomba " and was discharged in Perth on 28th December 1919 

Amy and William had two daughters born in Perth , Betty Edith in 1920 and Norma Joyce in 1922.

William and Amy moved to Victoria.

William died on 4th September 1940 at Repatriation Hospital , Caulfield aged 42 years. His occupation , a farmer . His address 34 Westbourne Grove , Northcote Victoria.His cause of death Tuberculosis of which is noted as being present for 12 years .

William is buried at Preston Cemetery Victoria.  

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