In South Shields (Harton) Cemetery is the Commonwealth War Grave, with a private headstone, of DA12880 Leading Deck Hand Matthew Gibson Bruce serving on H.M. Trawler Pitstruan with the Royal Naval Reserve who died 13/04/1917.

The headstone, a fallen cross, reads:

In loving memory of
Matthew Gibson Bruce
killed on H.M.T. Pitstruan,
April 13th 1917, aged 18 years.
For King and country he gave his life.

Margaret Bruce
mother of the above
died July 16th 1922, aged 64 years.
At rest.

Matthew Gibson Bruce was born on the 4th September 1899,* baptised 8th October 1899, St Hilda’s Church, South Shields, at 21 Martin Street, South Shields, one of eleven children to father James Anderson Bruce, baptised 19th October 1856, died 1924, and his wife Margaret Bruce nee Cooper, born 1858, died, 16th July 1922. They were married in 1876.

The other children were: –

• Isabella Bruce, born 3rd August 1878, and baptised 24th February 1902.
• Jane Elizabeth Bruce, born 13th October 1884, baptised 19th November 1884. She married Edward Nicholson, born 1878, in 1906, in South Shields. In 1911, Jane E. Nicholson was residing with her three children at 31 Hedley Street, South Shields. Edward Nicholson was a Fireman onboard the SS Trehawke, ship number 137863, a British general cargo ship, and he was missing, lost at sea on the 5th June 1915, aged 37. In 1921, widowed Jane E. Nicholson, was residing at 33 Hedley Street, South Shields, with her six children. In 1939, Jane E. Nicholson was residing at 111 Mile End Road, South Shields, and she was a Tripe Dresser. Jane Elizabeth Nicholson died, aged 88, in 1972, in South Shields [DOB on death record given as 16th October 1884].
• James Anderson Bruce, born 21st June 1887, baptised 10th July 1887, died, aged 80, in 1967, in South Shields.
• Letitia [Ettie] Anderson Bruce, born 26th May 1889. In 1921, Letitia A. Bruce was residing with her parents James and Margaret Bruce, at 6 James Street, South Shields. Letitia Anderson Bruce, spinster, is mentioned in George Herbert Abson’s probate, as was John Bruce. [George Herbert Abson was a Master Mariner, born in Yorkshire in 1894 and residing in Burnside, Cromarty. He served on the SS Disperser, ship number 145489, and was drowned when the vessel foundered in Kirkwall harbour during a gale on the 14th April 1940]. Although Letitia never married George Herbert Abson, her death record gives her name as Letitia Anderson Abson, when she died aged 89, in 1978, in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. She and George Herbert Abson had two daughters.
• Margaret S. Bruce, born 1893. She married Robert Lawson in 1912, in South Shields.
• John C. Bruce, born 28th October 1895. John Bruce married Alice Victoria Hunn, born 20th September 1897, in 1919, at South Shields. John enrolled at North Shields as a Trimmer in the Royal Navy Reserve, trawler section on the 1st November 1915, with the official number TS4653. 5 feet seven and three-quarters inches, medium complexion with hazel eyes. Residing then at 6 James Street, South Shields, he was based at HMS Vivid, a shore based Depot at Devonport. John was also at HMS Attentive III, a shore-based naval establishment and accounting base. Formed in January 1916, it served as the administrative parent base for the Dover Auxiliary Patrol, which managed the numerous local drifters, trawlers, and minor war vessels protecting the English Channel. He was discharged on the 5th February 1918 from Devonport. Alice Victoria Hunn was in the Queen Mary’s Auxiliary Corps enlisting on the 13th December 1917, and was discharged medically unfit on the 15th October 1918, receiving a Silver War Badge number B30169. Her rank was worker with the service number 20881, and she served from the 29th December 1917 to the 27th August 1918 in France and Flanders. John Bruce was residing with his wife, Alice Bruce, at 21 Harper Street, South Shields, and he was a fisherman, employed by Richard Irvin Sons. In 1939, Alice V. Bruce was residing at 6 Palatine Street, South Shields. John Bruce died, aged 60, in 1956 in South Shields. Alice Victoria Bruce died, aged 86, in 1984 in South Shields.
• Hannah Mary Bruce, born 5th October 1897, baptised 31st October 1897. She married Robert Borthwick Spence, M.M., a Miner born 23rd September 1895, on the 4th November 1919 at South Shields. Robert Borthwick Spence re-enlisted for one year, on the 21st July 1920 at South Shields. He was 5 feet seven inches, 118lbs, fresh complexion, brown eyes fair hair, also had a Gun Shot wound scar on his left side of his neck. Service number now was 728512 into the 3rd Northumbrian Brigade Royal Field Artillery. Posted to ‘C’ Battery. Then appointed a Bombardier on the 23rd July 1920. Now posted to ‘D’ Battery and appointed a Lance-Sergeant on the 23rd July. He attends the annual camp on the 24th July 1920 to the 7th August 1920. On the 1st September 1920, the unit now becomes the 74th Brigade (Nortumbrian) Royal Field Artillery and is with the 296th Battery. [He had previously served as a Territorial first from the 17th November 1913 for 4 years. Miner employed by the Harton Coal Company at the Whitburn Colliery. Resided at 166 South Taylor Street. Robert embarked at Southampton on the 20th April 1915 and disembarked at Le Havre on the 21st. 20th May 1915, he is wounded with a Shrapnel wound to the neck. Rejoins his unit on the 28th June 1915 from the Convalescent Camp no 2.
  He was gassed twice in his time in the 4th Durham Battery Royal Field Artillery Brigade, 250th Northumbrian Brigade in WW1, service number 739, 4322 and 751317. {He states the 4th Durham Battery Royal Field Artillery on his re-enlistment form}. He went on leave for 10 days on the 20th November 1916. He was eventually promoted to a Corporal on the 25th June 1918, from a Driver. He was wounded with Gun Shot Wounds on the 23rd August 1918 and taken to the 10th Field Ambulance station, {part of the 4th Infantry Division], then passed onto the 41st Casualty Clearing station. {Located at Vecquemont}. On the 30th September, Robert is then transported from the 47th General Hospital at Le Treport onto the HMHS Antwerpen, ship number 137864. On the 23rd September 1918 he is posted to ‘C’ Battery of the 6th Reserve Brigade RFA. Corporal Robert Spence was publicly presented with the Military Medal by the Mayor on Friday 20th September 1918 at the Municipal Buildings South Shields. {For Bravery in the Field}. The medal was awarded on the 30th May 1918.
  In 1921, Hannah and Robert Spence were residing with their son, Robert Borthwick Spence, born 4th April 1920, baptised 14th May 1920, at 38 Bowman Street, South Shields, previously were residing at 235 South Taylor Street, with sister-in-law, Margaret Lawson. Robert Borthwick Spence died on 15th April 1940, and is buried at Harton Cemetery, South Shields, alongside his son, Robbie Spence, who died on 20th April 1935. Hannah Mary Spence died, aged 85, on the 13th November 1982 in South Shields.

3 other children died.

* Birth certificate confirms 4th September 1899. He was just 17 years, 7 months, 9 days old when he was killed.

In 1901, Matthew Gibson Bruce was residing with his parents, James and Margaret Bruce, at 17 Harper Street, South Shields, and his father was a Ship Rivetter.

By 1911, Matthew Gibson Bruce was residing with his parents at 6 James Street, South Shields.

Matthew enrolled on the 4th November 1916, in the Trawler Section, stating his date of birth was the 4th September 1897, which was incorrect. He was a Leading Deck hand which was confirmed on the 4th November 1916. 5 feet five inches, fair complexion, brown eyes. Residing at 6 James Street, South Shields. Official number DA 12880. [The Trawler Section of the Royal Naval Reserve was composed primarily of civilian fishermen and commercial sailors mobilized for wartime service to man minesweepers, anti-submarine trawlers, and patrol vessels].

Matthew was with the Chatham Division and was based with HMS Vivid, at Devonport, Plymouth a shore base depot from the 4th November 1914, he is then with HMS Defiance from the 28th January 1916, back to HMS Vivid on the 2nd February 1917, HMS Defiance on the 18th February before returning to the HMS Vivid on the 23rd February 1917.

He joined the HMT Pitstruan, ship number 133638. [Admiralty Number No 89], on the 15th March 1917. She was a Steel trawler built by A. Hall & Co Ltd, Aberdeen in 1913 for the Don Fishing Co.

On the 13th April 1917, HMT Pitstruan approached a number of Drifters that had discovered two floating mines off Noss Head Wick, Caithness. One mine was destroyed by gunfire and as HMT Pitstruan was about to destroy the other when a third, unseen mine, was struck, breaking the vessel in two.
​The Skipper Lt Cecil George White and a Deck Hand were the only survivors. Eleven other crew were killed in the explosion. The body of Matthew Gibson Bruce was recovered.

There was a report about the incident. See Lost in Deep waters.

The mines had been laid by by UC 76, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Wilhelm Barten.

Sources: British Newspaper Archive; James Hoy Archive; Lost in Deep Waters; National Archives; Jennifer Stephenson; U Boat net; Naval History net

Matthew Gibson Bruce is not remembered on a North East War Memorial but is remembered in our List of Ship’s Crew.