Sir Michael William Selby Bruce, 11th Baronet (27 March 1894 – 2 May 1957) was an author and soldier.
Early life and education
The son of Sir William Waller Bruce,
10th Baronet (1856–1912), of
West Drayton
West Drayton is a suburban town in the London Borough of Hillingdon. It was an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex and from 1929 was part of the Yiewsley and West Drayton Urban District, which became part of Greater London in 1965. The se ...
,
Middlesex
Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, historic county in South East England, southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the Ceremonial counties of ...
, director of an art gallery and his wife Angelica Lady Bruce (died 1917), daughter of General George Selby,
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
. Michael Bruce entered
Abingdon School
Abingdon School is a day and boarding independent school for boys in Abingdon-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England. The twentieth oldest independent British school, it celebrated its 750th anniversary in 2006. The school was described as "highly ...
from October 1907–1910.
Career
He joined the British South Africa Police as a trooper (1913). After the First World War service with the Royal Artillery at
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula (; tr, Gelibolu Yarımadası; grc, Χερσόνησος της Καλλίπολης, ) is located in the southern part of East Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles ...
and on the
Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to:
Military frontiers
*Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany
*Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany
*Western Front (Russian Empire), a majo ...
, Bruce became a traveller, largely in
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
and South America, and an author and newspaper columnist. During the Second World War he served in a barrage balloon unit, with 901 (County of London) squadron,
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
Regiment, and was wounded again. Later in the war he was Senior Weapons Instructor for glider pilots at Bridgnorth.
Personal life
He was the elder brother of
Nigel Bruce, the actor. He married Elizabeth Constance Plummer of Toronto in 1933 and after her death during World War II, married again in 1945. He died in
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
,
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
in 1957.
See also
*
List of Old Abingdonians
Old Abingdonians are former pupils of Abingdon School or, in some cases, Honorary Old Abingdonians who have been awarded the status based on service to the School. The Old Abingdonians also run the Old Abingdonian Club (OA club) which is an organ ...
Bibliography
* ''Songs from the Saddle'' (1916)
* ''Sails and Saddles'' (1929)
* ''Tramp Royal'' (1954),(Autobiographical) First published by Elek (
UK) and then Ryerson Press (
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
)
* Currie Jack ''Mosquito Victory'' Goodall 1983 Mentioned as Senior Weapons Instructor for glider pilots, and out on the town in London with actress
Frances Day
Frances Day (born Frances Victoria Schenk; December 16, 1907April 29, 1984) was an American actress and singer who achieved great popularity in the UK in the 1930s.
Her career began as a nightclub cabaret singer in New York City and London. ...
.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bruce, Michael
Bruce, Michael William Selby
Bruce, Michael William Selby
Bruce, Michael William Selby, 11th Baronet
People educated at Abingdon School
British Army personnel of World War I
Royal Artillery officers
Royal Air Force personnel of World War II
British South Africa Police officers