No.214686, Pioneer, Willie George Percy BRUCE
Aged 38
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Willie George Percy Bruce was born in Nowton (3rd qtr 1879 Thingoe 4a:547), son of George and Susan BRUCE(née BROWN).
1881 census...Aged 1, he was at Shepherd's Road, Nowton with his father George BRUCE [55] groom born Great Welnetham; his mother Susan [75 sic] born Ashfield. 1891 census...Aged 11, he was at Upper Town, Nowton with his parents (mother now recorded as aged 55). 1901 census...Aged 21, a gardener, he was at the Almshouses, Nowton with his widowed mother. 1911 census...Aged 31, a domestic gardener, he was at Bawdsey on Sea with his wife Mary A [31] born Welnetham and their children, Cynthia Ida Maud [3-9-1904], George Donald Gordon [24-12-1907, Eugene Henry Stanford [29-7-1910]. All the children were born in Bawdsey. They went on to have Queenie Gladys [11-5-1912] and Ivy Georgina [13-6-1915] He married Mary Annie STURGEON [7-4-1878] in 1903. On the pension card his widow was at 18 Alma Terrace, Bawdsey on Sea, Suffolk with 5 children |
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He enlisted in Ipswich. The Special Companies of the Royal Engineers were those who dealt with gas warfare. His age on CWGC is completely wrong, he was 38 years old
He died at No.6 Casualty Clearing Station, Pernes, France. Not having his service records it is not possible to say exactly where or when he was wounded. It may well have been he was overcome as he opened the taps to release gas, as this frequently happened
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