Heslop's Local Advertiser 20/7/1917
Menin Gate
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Thomas Bruce Jnr was born 1884 at Bill Quay, County Durham one of 7 children and the eldest of 2 surviving sons and 5 daughters. His father Thomas Bruce Snr born 1854 and mother Elizabeth Stobbs born 1859, both natives of Heworth were married in the district of Gateshead in 1881. Whilst living at Ann Street, Heworth in 1891 Thomas Snr was employed as a forge-man at the local iron works, by 1901, Thomas Jnr, now 16 years old was also employed, working as a labourer at the paint works, they had also moved to 9 Salisbury Street. By 1911 his father was employed as a blacksmith’s striker at the shipyards whilst his brother John William (21) worked blow ground at the colliery as a putter and still living at home along with his parents and sister Elizabeth at 22 Salisbury Street. Thomas Jnr also a miner in 1911 was living as a boarder with William Willis Brown, his wife Ellen and family of 35, Tenth Street, Howden, Sunderland. Later that same year, June 5th, in the district of Chester-le-Street, he married Dinah Bucks born May 13th 1891 at Washington, County Durham and with whom he had two daughters, Frances Soulsby, August 18th 1912 and Catherine affectionately known as Kitty, May 18th 1914.
Thomas Bruce at the time of his enlistment at Felling near Gateshead, October 26th 1914, was living at Springwell. He was assigned as Private 21029 to the 13th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, one of the new armies, joining the regiment at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, November 4th. The 13th Battalion attached to the 68rd Brigade, 23rd Division moved to Aldershot later in November and on to Willesborough, Kent in March 1915 and by May they were at Bramshott. As part of the British Expeditionary Force the Division departed August 25th 1915 and landed at Boulogne,France, August 26th concentrating near Tilques. September 5th they were attached to the III Corp and moved to Merris-Vieux for trench familiarisation from the 20th and 27th Division, taking over the front line sector between Ferme Grande Flamergrie to the Armentieres-Wez Macquart road in their own right by the 14th. During the Battle of Loos they were in action holding the front at Bois Grenier, they were relieved from that sector at the end of January 1916 and Divisional HQ was established at Blaringhem with the units concentrated around Bruay for a period of rest. On March 3rd they returned to the front line, taking over a sector between the Boyau de l'Ersatz and the Souchez River from the French 17th Division. In early March a Tunnelling Company was established and men with a background in mining were transferred from the ranks to the Royal Engineers. In Mid April they returned to Bruay area for rest until mid May when they again took over the front line, just before the German attack on Vimy Ridge on April 21st 1916. On June 11th 1916 the 23rd Division Infantry moved to Bomy and the artillery to Chamblain Chatelain and Therouanne to begin intensive training for the Battles of the Somme. July 1916 they were in action during the Battle of Albert which included the capture of Contalmaison, followed by the Battles of Bazentin Ridge and the Battle of Delville Wood which raged from July 15th-3rd September 1916. They were withdrawn from the Somme and sent as reinforcements to the Ypres salient in Belgium.
March 3rd 1917 Private Bruce was taken by the 70th Field Ambulance to the 70th Dressing Station with an inflammation of the connective tissue in his right ankle. He returned to duty 4 days later. He was ill again April 4th with dental problems and taken to the 10th Casualty Clearing Station at Arques, France not returning to his battalion in the field until April 20th 1917.
Private 21029 Thomas Bruce Durham Light Infantry was killed in action on the Belgian salient May 30th 1917, his sacrifice is recorded as one of the 54,395 names of servicemen from the Commonwealth inscribed on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing at Ypres, Belgium, panel 36 & 38 which commemorates those who fought on the salient until August 15th 1917 and who have no known grave. He was in his 34th year.
His widow Dinah received all monies due to him and a pension for herself and their 2 daughters of 22 shillings 11 pence a week. Several of his personal belongings were returned to her at their home address of 26, Salisbury Street, Pelaw consisting of a disc, letters, photos, cards, pocket book, Religious book, 2 razors and a case, along with his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
She remarried in the district of Gateshead in 1920 William Greenwell born 1890 and who died in 1964 aged 74, Dinah Greenwell-Bruce nee Bucks died aged 84 in 1974, both deaths registered in the district of Gateshead, County Durham.
Thomas and Dinah’s daughters both married, Frances Soulsby Bruce to Matthew Maxson Pickersgill in 1936 and with who she had a daughter in 1939, Catherine and a son Frank in 1951. Matthew Pickersgill died in 1984 aged 94 years. Frances Pickersgill-Bruce of 30 Colegate, Leam Lane Estate, Gateshead died November 23rd 1993 aged 81 years.
Catherine Bruce married Thomas Brown in 1935 and gave birth to a son Robert in 1939. Catherine Brown died aged 75 in 1989, district of Gateshead.
Details of Thomas’s parents unknown.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest in Peace.
Heslop's Local Advertiser 20/7/1917 reports:
"Private Thomas Bruce, D.L.I., killed in action, May 30th, in his 34th year. Husband of Dinah Bruce, 26 Salisbury Street, Pelaw.
Thomas Bruce is remembered at Heworth on H92.03, H92.04 and H92.07
